The Epic of Tyler
by Soldier78
Summary: "My grandfather was a great storyteller...I've wondered what it'd be like to have my story told." Tyler James lives in the era of warfare and joins the fight when his country's war becomes part of the Avatar's war. T for gore/swears. Please read/review!
1. Stories of my Grandfather

**So here's a story I've been working on for a while. It took me a while to write the intro but I got it done. A few more chapters will be on the way quickly since I have already written them. This story is a pretty good one in my opinion. If you've followed my other stories, you've heard about Tyler James. This time I made the relationship between my OC and Aang a little bit more realistic even though the Avatar world doesn't exist. Too bad. I've also made more sense of America, though some things are made up. In this story, the Civil War will spread to the Outside Nations (the Air Nomads, Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation). I tried to make it as realistic as possible but I wanted to try this out. This story will follow Tyler but have a lot of Avatar-verse stuff included. I hope you enjoy it and please review, I love feedback!**

**Disclaimer, I own nothing. **

The Epic of Tyler

Ch.1: Stories of my Grandfather

I remembered the stories my grandfather told me. Most of them originating from the Outside Nations. He was a great storyteller, he always used his hands to captivate me and used his vocabulary like a master swordfighter. My father gave me his name for my middle and it's something I feel honored for. He is someone that many people look up too after his countless years of struggles. He always had a positive attitude, something I dearly missed. He did not last the long, cold, dark winter that always ravished our crops and kept us indoors, isolated from the outside, prisoners of our own home.

When he died, I felt an era of admiration pass on but just like my grandpa told me as we warmed by the fire in our small, simple hearth he created and me sitting on his lap, there's always a new day. As he lied on his deathbed, a day or two prior to his death, he handed me something of value. He told me to wear with pride as he always had, treasuring it as if it was a holy symbol.

_To me, it reminds me of a long-lasting connection that I hope you will feel too, my boy._

So I wear it every day, never taking it off. Now it's the Spring, the ice had thawed and now I continue my education at the schoolhouse in town but I end up spending most of my hours tending to the farm while my father would go off and trade and drink until his dark heart's content. He leaves me with all the work while he goes off to make the money and spend it on some good ale and fine Kentucky whiskey.

But I work hard so I could get the chores done and spend the rest of what time I had left with my friends, Tommy and his dear sister, Rose. Such a fine pair of siblings. Tommy had been my best friend since we were born, he's my brother in everything but blood. We both lived on farms so we lived on the same expectations though he tends to slack off more and do things half-heartedly so he could get some riding done. He loves to ride horses, especially race them. I enjoy that activity very much especially when bets are involved. Usually joining Tommy is his pretty sister, Rosaline who I call Rose for short. Though a girl, she has attracted me with her stubborn, cheekiness that I adore so much. I think her favorite word is equality because with her actions, she displays it. She can help Tommy plow a field, she can help Tommy replace the rotting wood on fences and coups, she can ride horses with one leg on each side and she had some pretty good aim when she tossed stones in the creek. If I hadn't know any better, I'd say Rose was born a girl on the outside with a boy spirit on the inside.

You're probably wondering where I live. I live in Gainesville, Ohio in the glorious country of America. We are very independent from the Outside Nations as we respectfully dubbed. Here's a little bit of our history, about 200 years ago, we waged war with one of the Outside Nations. We demanded our right to break away and form our own nation that didn't rely on this mighty, supernatural power known to us as 'bending'. We wanted to have a government that wasn't monarchy or aristocracy. We wanted the people to have a part in politics, our big word for it is democracy. We vote our president and our congress. Our land mass was so large that we could easily divide our nation into separate provinces and territories known as states. We had 34 states and a lot of territory yet to be conquered and named.

Though we all had a say that democracy established, we were still woven in physical conflict. We had just entered our second year of Civil War. Eleven states in the southern part of our land declared themselves a separate country and created their own government resembling the same practice but had a different set of laws and rules. Though we weren't parted by sea, we still felt division.

The issue of this all was about slavery. While the Union wanted to abolish the horrible treatment towards people, the eleven, the Confederacy, fought at it and divided our nation so they could selfishly keep that right. Our economy was dependent on slavery, sadly, and we were afraid of a long struggle that could collapse everything we've fought for during that war against the Fire Nation and we would plunge into chaos and eventually extinction, according to my teacher, Mr. Jacobson.

But this is our land. We have little towns and big cities, we have farmers and we have factory workers, we have a Constitution and we don't have nobility. We fight with cannons, guns and swords. We ride on horseback and carriages pulled by horses. We have whiskey and beer. We have taverns and market squares. This is our land, this is America.

According to my grandfather, he left the turmoil of the Outside Nations to live peacefully on America after his home was burned down by the enemy who was keen on expanding their empire. He spoke of a brother who was long lost ever since he was twelve years old. The only thing he had tied to that relative was this necklace that had the engraving of what he claimed to be the Air Nomad symbol, something I was not familiar with.

Grandpa Shang had told me stories of his life before his evacuation. He told me the myths and legends of that world and told me about his brother who he never mentioned his name.

_My brother, your great-uncle, always had a free spirit. He could not stay still for very long. He always thirsted for adventure. Just like you, my dear Tyler._

Adventure sounded so much fun. I loved to nap under the shade of the trees after a long day and just dream about seeing the world that included the Outside Nations. I dreamed of that excitement. Though I sometimes went with my father to outposts, towns and cities, it didn't feel like enough. I was seeing my culture every day but nothing new or fascinating. It was the same life everywhere you go. I would watch my father reach an agreement with a seller and I would hear politics all over the streets. It was never different. Even the food felt the same. But I have to admit, America had citizens who could really bake a delicious pie or custard.

My grandfather was a great storyteller. He would also romance Tommy and Rose with stories. The epics and sagas of brave warriors. He told us the stories of mythical spirits who served as the Gods of their world. He told us the stories of the Avatar, a mysterious being that could bend all four elements of the Outside Nations. I've wondered what it'd be like to have my story told. But it wouldn't be told, it didn't have enough adventure in it.

After a finished story, as we were younger, we would go outside. We Ran around and played the roles of the characters he had told us about. I would always call being the Avatar and Tommy would grumble about it, but he would find another way to make himself happy. He'd be my enemy. Rose would sometimes play the bad guy or the good guy after she complained a lot. Tommy had the usual attitude of a small boy. He hated girls playing with them, it was a boy game but I asked Tommy to reconsider. I had this determination to impress her with my 'skills'.

But as we grew up into working teenagers, Grandpa's storytelling was put to the side. The only time we'd hear a story was on special occasion. He was declining and every day we would be working our best to keep him alive.

When he passed on last winter, I felt a part of me die but like I said before, he was the one who told me there was a new day. I worked the first day Spring arrived and kept that necklace close to me, I never took it off as I have said before.

Today I finished my work early. I wiped the sweat off my brow and took off my fedora hat that I took from my Pa's closet. He was away on 'business' so he wouldn't mind if I did take it to battle the sun light. I heard a loud pitch neigh and I turned around, still having one hand wrapped around my rake.

I saw Tommy pull into my property. As he tugged the reins to stop the mare, he jumped off and ran up to me.

"Mornin' Ty," He said with a bright smile.

"Hey, Tom. What's up?"

"Nothing. I see you finished work." Tommy said, acknowledging my handiwork. I smiled and nodded. "You up for a race?"

"Don't you have chores to do, Tom?" I asked as I stroked my forehead again with the pad of my thumb.

"I'm good."

Tommy always was a slacker. I rolled my eyes, good-naturedly at him. I gave him a good punch to his shoulder which was a common display among ourselves. He rubbed it and gave a light chuckle.

"You still up for a race?" He asked. I looked at my done work and then at my best friend. I gave him a nod and quickly jogged off to saddle up my horse.

We raced down the dirt road that was purposely paved to allow trade wagons and travelers to ride or walk freely. Tommy's horse was a bit faster, she had enduring stamina which I assumed made Tommy's plow work easier.

I felt the wind caress my face and my hair flutter back. I had to keep one hand on my hat to keep it from flying away. My laugh was lost with the wind as I caught up to my friend. We had the rare instance where there were no travelers or traders along our way.

Tommy gave a loud whistle to a girl working in the fields. My eyes settled on her. Rosaline Marshal, my source of admiration. I sighed as she shouted at her brother.

"Tommy! You damn slacker, always leaving me with the work!" Rose shouted as Tommy started to ride into their pasture. Oh man, when she was angry, she was beautiful.

"Rosaline Marshal! Watch your mouth!" shouted her mother from the opened window on the highest floor of their home. I stopped my horse and watched the family argument.

"Tell Tommy that he needs to get his butt off that horse and work!" Rose shouted back. Tommy was soon yelled at.

"Thomas Leslie Marshal! Get to work!"

"Yes, Ma!" Tom hollered. The mother soon slammed shut the window and Tommy rode wide circles around Rose.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked, annoyed.

"Helping you." Tom answered, grinning like an idiot. "A horse's hooves brings up some dirt."

Tommy was an original person. His little mischief acts were original, a good example would be this. I rolled my eyes and swung my leg over my horse, dismounting. I held onto the saddle briefly before letting go when I got my balance.

"C'mon, Tom. Quit fooling." I said a smile. He only grinned back before finally dismounting and picking up a rake. I decided to help out the siblings to make things faster. Well, it was sort of an excuse to get closer to Rose.

"So Tyler," Rose said as she hacked at a dirt clod. "Is your father still away?"

"Yeah." I said as I combed through the thick, muddy dirt. "He's been gone for a long time now."

"Are you worried?" Tom asked as he ripped out a dead weed.

"Nah, he's usually gone this long." I said, in a matter-of-fact tone. "Probably blowing our money on some cheap whiskey."

"Don't speak about your father, poorly, Tyler. You know he's trying to keep your farm."

"I know." I said as I dug the hoe through the mud. "But he's just always away on some adventure and I'm...stuck here."

"C'mon, Ty, really? You have plenty of adventures."

"Only to the nearby towns." I said. "Rarely have I seen a city."

"You've been to Columbus." Tommy pointed out. "Remember you came home and told us all about it."

"I was nine, Tom. I thought everything was adventure." I explained. "I need something more..."

"What more do you need Tyler?" Rose asked. "You've got a farm, you've got your father, you've got the town, the open area, your friends. What more is there to need?"

"I keep telling you, adventure. Something that I'd be able to tell my own kids." I claimed. "Like my grandpa, I want to be like him."

"He had his home burned down by fire breathing savages. You really want that kind of fate? He came here with nothing Tyler." Rose reminded me.

"Yeah, Ty-"

"But it was still adventure. He still told his stories to us."

"I think he told us to many stories. His stories make you crazy." Tommy pointed out.

"Shut up, Tommy." I snapped. He gave a shrug.

"It's true."

Rose rolled her pretty eyes.

"Tyler," she said as she faced me. She stopped raking. "You still have a long life ahead of you. When you're older, you can make your own decisions. Make your own story."

"I'll be dead before I could make a name for myself."

"Is that all you want? Fame?" Rose questioned.

"No, I just want something to tell my children." I rephrased. "Something like...I've seen benders or-"

"See, his stories have gotten you to talk crazy." Tommy included. I picked up some hard dirt and threw it at him. He shouted back at me. "Hey!"

I got back to raking when a hand reached out to my arm and rested there. I looked up at Rose.

"C'mon, Tyler, embrace what you've got. Some people don't have the life that you have anymore." Rose said as she touched my chin and tilted it upwards. Of course, the war. "Be happy and content of who you are. You're a great person, Tyler. You don't need to make a name for yourself so quickly."

I blushed a deep crimson, she's never touched this close to me. I wanted to sweep her off her feet and give her the biggest kiss ever received. The only problems were Tommy's presence and my shyness.

But I smiled at her. Hopeful that she caught it as loving and sweet, just like her.

"Okay, enough with the intimacy." Tommy spoke up. We both daggered our eyes at him and he only shrugged his shoulders and we got back to work.

Every minute or so, I'd sneak a lover's glance at her or torment Tommy in some way.

I'd have to make the best for my life right now without the adventure.

To be continued.

**I hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't catch the relationship between Tyler and Aang. Here's clarification: Aang is Tyler's great Uncle. Tyler's grandfather was Shang, Aang's twin brother. Shang is not an avatar. Aang is the only Avatar in this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to more because there is more interesting plot twists. Please review! **

**Please, click that button**


	2. Shifted Ground

**Here's the next chapter everyone. This one is a bit of a filler to explain the reactions about the Confederates allying with the Fire Nation. None of this was true in the actual world, this is just to try and put the Civil War with the Avatar-verse. If you don't like it, flame it all you want, I really don't care. Please review!**

**Also, if you hadn't become aware of it, this story will have a lot of swearing. Not like the f-bomb or anything but still swearing nonetheless.**

**Disclaimer, I own nothing.**

The Epic of Tyler

Ch.2: Shifted Ground

We completed the farm work for the day and we gathered in Tommy and Rose's house when Ms. Marshal cooked a fine meal for all of our hard work. We were in the front room while their mother remained in the kitchen, preparing a nice dinner for the rest of us. Mr. Marshal was due to return. Rose was keeping an eye on the stew while Tommy took a good nap on the couch. His hat was over his head as he peacefully slumbered. I just sat in the chair, minding my own business. Sometimes Tommy's coursed snore broke the silence.

I kept my eyes on that beauty by the hearth. She was poking the logs, making sure the fire was perfectly fed with the wood. I felt warm by that fire and even more content to watch Rose keep it healthy.

She looked at me, catching me red handed.

"And what are you looking at?" She inquired as she stood up, brushing any ash off of her typical farm dress. I sputtered.

"N-nothing."

"You're as bad a lair as Tommy." Rose commented as she hung up the poker.

"In my defense, you've been exposed to Tom's mischief for years so you know when he's lying." I told her. She rolled her eyes.

"You boys are all the same." She stated.

"Oh really, how so?" I challenged.

"When a girl asks a boy what he's looking at, the boy would always go for the lie and pretend he wasn't staring at her body."

She got me.

"Again, in my defense, I wasn't looking at your body." I said.

"In my defense, what else could you look at?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest. I stood up from the chair.

"I was admiring the way your..."

"The way my what?"

I gulped.

"The way your arm stabbed the logs and well...the way your eyes..."

I was saved by the wooden door being opened forcefully. It smacked into the wall and an angry, burly man stormed in with a heated look. In his hand, he held a folded up newspaper.

"They did it!" he roared in upheaval. I raised a brow. "The damn Rebs did it!"

"Did what Ryan?" their mother asked, calmly. He threw down the newspaper onto the table.

"They allied with the Fire Nation! The War has now exited our country and it'll take longer to defeat them because they have the Fire Nation on their side!"

I entered the room. Rose woke up Tommy who gave a snort and sat up, realizing his father was back from his daily trip to the town.

"I'm sure it won't take long." The mother assured.

"Clair, are you not aware of the Fire Nation's advances? They've conquered cities for Christ's sakes!"

"Ryan, watch your language. You're the reason why our children speak so ill." Their mother proclaimed. Their mother was a fine, middle-aged woman who had a pastor for a father and was raised to hate cuss words.

"I'm sorry, Clair." Ryan, their father, apologized. "Let me go wash up."

He sauntered upstairs. His thick boots creaking the steps. Out in the open was the headline that got him fumed. Rose picked it up and unfolded it to see the entire article.

"Confederates' alliance with Fire Nation will bring the war onto new grounds." she read aloud. Another thing about Rose was she had the ability to read. Tommy and I looked at each other. She didn't read anymore, she just tossed it down and went to help her mother in the kitchen when she was requested to. Tommy returned to the couch to resume his nap and I looked at the newspaper. I picked it up with my own hands and engrossed myself with the information.

The Confederates, the Rebs, did seek and established an alliance with the Fire Nation. These were the same people who destroyed my grandfather's home and forced him to become a refugee. I read the inked words with disdain.

**Our war with the Confederacy will be on new terrain as the Fire Nation requested for their assistance in defeating the enemies of their own. We cannot guess a probable estimation of this war's duration. President Lincoln has requested more volunteers for this pending fight. Recruiting stations will be posted in every possible town. **

I lowered the article and it was like a light flickered in my mind.

To be continued.

**Uh oh, what's going on Tyler's head. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I personally had a hard time writing this one out because I was trying to capture the emotions enough to make it realistic. I didn't want to get all overly dramatic. I wanted the tone to have some sort of shame or disdain. Please review!**

**Please, click that button. **


	3. I'm 18, Sir

**Here's the next chapter! Please guys, I really want feedback on my story. It can be anything from compliments to criticism. Your reviews help me become a better writer and I really am enjoying writing this story. I hope that you guys are enjoying it too even though its pertaining to mostly Tyler for the next couple of chapters but I assure that Aang and the Gang will become more and more involved. This is Tyler's point of view of the Avatar world. **

**Disclaimer, I own nothing. **

The Epic of Tyler

Ch.3: I'm 18, Sir.

I was in line, ready to enlist. My fingers were twitching, my whole body shook in nervousness but I kept a firm grip on my gun and took a step forward. The world was buzzing around me. The enlistees were so excited to join the army. About three men away, I felt a hand grasp my wrist.

"Don't do this Tyler." Rose begged me. Tommy right behind her. "You know you'll get in trouble if..."

I silenced her.

"They need every soldier they can get." I responded. "'Sides, I can't live on that farm forever. I need adventure."

"Not this again, Ty." Tommy complained.

"Whatever adventures I have is not exciting enough." I said.

"So war will be exciting?" Tommy questioned me in disbelief. I sighed and clasped a hand onto his shoulder.

"I didn't say the fighting will be, but I'll see a new world. One we barely even gotten to know." I replied. "Think of it, I'd be close to some benders Tom!"

"Tyler, think about this." Rose warned me. I looked back at her. "Do you really want your life to end on the battlefield?"

"Next!" roared an officer. The line shifted. "Next!"

"Oi, get a move on!" shouted a man behind, giving me an impatient shove. I grunted and looked at the table. A paper soon to have my name.

"How old are you, son?" asked the officer.

"18, sir." I said, not feeling at all nervous.

"18?"

"Aye." I replied with a nod. His pencil scribbled. From the corner of my eye, I could see Rose and Tommy. I looked at them.

"Name?"

I looked back over at the man.

"Tyler James." I replied, instantly.

"You're enlisted in the 58th Ohio. You are in Company F." the enlister announced. He handed me a slip of paper and I exited out of the line with a grateful nod.

"Tyler...please don't." Rose begged me as I joined the siblings. "You are foolish for doing this. You're not even 18."

She spoke that in a low whisper. Her pale hand had gripped the sleeve of my tunic. Her gentle fingers pressed into my forearm. I could see the hurt and fear in her eyes but I swallowed a fighting lump. I stuck my sheet into my belt and gently brushed my fingers across her cheek. I could feel her pronounced bones and the cool, desirable feel of her cheek.

"I'm not going to change my mind." I told her, forcefully. I looked up at Tommy who still remained on her side. "I need this. I need this adventure."

"Tyler, stop talking like you're insane. You have a home. Friends...what more, brother?" Tommy asked. I removed my hand from Rose's cheek and her arm released mine. "Please..."

"It's too late. I'm signed up." I said.

"Tell them the truth, Tyler." Tommy pleaded with me. "They'll unmark you."

"And I'll feel shame for lying?"

"You did lie." Tommy hushed, reminding me.

"So, they don't know that." I responded just as quiet. "If you were my friend Tommy, you'd let me do this."

"A real friend wouldn't let you go die on the battlefield." Tommy remarked. "My friend isn't this foolish."

"Company F! Form your ranks!"

That was my call. I picked up my filled sack that contained everything I needed and looked at Tommy.

"Please, brother..."

"I'm sorry, Tommy." I said with a sullen frown.

"Company!"

I was about to walk away when I felt a hand grab my own. I spun around and almost shouted at Rose to let me go and that I had enough with their intentions of keeping me from the grandest adventure of a lifetime but instead, she spoke to me.

"Come back to us in one piece." She told me.

"I'll try." I told her and with that, she clumsily clutched my tunic and pulled me into a fervent kiss. I was shocked at first, this beautiful girl kissing me, but I pushed back forcefully and when we pulled away, I didn't want it to end. I looked up at Tommy.

"They're about to march off, Soldier." He said, spitting that title for me with so much bitterness. I outstretched my hand to shake it and give him a hug but he denied it by placing something in my hand. I could see the forming tears in his eyes, the twinkle gave it all away.

I gave my sweet Rose one more kiss before running off to join my regiment. A sound that I quite grew fond of. I had retrieved my gun and happily squeezed myself into an opening. In my hand still laid that something Tommy had given me. It was a folded up piece of parchment that I opened when I positioned the gun onto my back that hung onto my body by a strap.

It was a portrait of Rose. He had given me his copy of his sister. I had a moment of sadness pass over me and I didn't even look over my shoulder. Real soldiers didn't look back.

To be continued.

**Okay so Tyler's a big fat liar. He's very hung up on that 'adventure' thing, isn't he? I didn't really like this chapter all that much because I was stuck on how to portray the scene and not make entirely hysterical. True, Tommy's a bit harsh towards Tyler but given the circumstances, it's kind of appropriate. You have to remind yourself that these are 14 year old boys. Also, just in case of confusion, when Tommy calls Tyler 'brother' he means that their friendship is a lot like a brotherly bond. Tommy and Tyler refers to themselves as brothers even though they are not blood related. If it wasn't clear in the first chapter, Tyler thinks of Tommy as a brother in everything but blood. Tyler has no brothers or sisters. He's an only child. On that note, thanks for reading and please review! **

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	4. School of a Soldier

**Sorry it has been a while. Brief thing though, yes, the first few chapters rarely mention about Aang and the Gang but please bear with me. You will see them soon enough. Another thing, please review. I really like feedback and constructive criticism. I'm really proud of this story and how it is turning out and I will like to know of other's opinions about it. **

**Please review!**

**~Soldier78~ **

The Epic of Tyler

ch.4: School of a Soldier

The bugle chorused throughout the camp. Instantly, our tent became a scrambling mayhem. I was the last to get my stuff together. The others were chaotically grabbing anything that was theirs and charged out of the tent. I felt knees buck me in the face as I collected my belongings, still on my fours. As I grabbed my hat, I felt my entire body be pushed down as I watched Pvt. Jeremiah's shadow bolt out of the tent. I grumbled to myself and finally had the tent to myself.

I quickly stuffed my arms through the sleeves of my cotton overcoat and buttoned it together before grabbing my other necessities. I collected my hat and charged out of the shelter as fast as I could, joining the almost ready formation. On my way, I picked up my gun that still rested on the stump in front of last night's fire.

I quickly shouldered my rifle right when I got to the ranks, sliding in between two other privates while Sgt. McLyle, a short, wide man with daggered and keen eyes that could easily make you tremble. He was very serious about his role in the company and remained very loyal to our Lt. Thomas of Albany, New York who barely showed his face here in the drills.

My eyes slightly trailed the Sgt. as he walked passed me. He gave me a quick look, one of expecting me to cause trouble today. Since the close call with my musket two days ago, he kept an eye on me. He was like a hawk, stalking its prey.

But I remained straight and kept a blank look on my face. My eyes trained on one of the few trees in this camp. My stomach was growling through after the Sgt. made passed. Before I knew it, he gave a loud shout.

"Double-quick!"

Oh great, running drills today.

The other two Sgts, not as strict as this fine fellow here, echoed his orders down our line and we lifted our muskets. Soon, the bugle went off, the drummerboys starting to bang away and the fifers started to horn their flutes and we took off, running.

We ran throughout that morning before being relieved to catch some lunch at the Mess Hall. By the time we finished our morning runs, a light drizzle had started and we filed into the Mess Hall for some poorly made soup and beans.

I ate it though, woofed it down in about ten minutes. Some of my regimental comrades had obtained the benches and engaged in conversations that usually involved complaints about the workouts or the fact that we won't see battle at all at this rate. Some boys are pretty sure this alliance won't last long, I kind of wish it would so I could be able to see the world finally without having to see it in my dreams.

I missed home a lot though too. These nights, I sit around the fire, feeling lonely as I reflect on the faces of my friends and family, even my drunkard of a father. Even though I still yearned for the adventure ahead of me, I felt like I had a halved, emptying heart.

I shook off my brief woe and dug into the rest of my meal before being ordered to form for gun and bayonet drills. By the time, we got to the shooting range, rain began pouring down but that didn't stop Lt. Thomas or Sgt. McLyle.

That fat bastard didn't join us on the shooting, he just stood there, ordering us like we were dogs. I kept this to myself however, I already heard those complaining about the stiff man had already experienced cleaning up after the horses or some other disgusting chore.

My aim wasn't all that bad. It was heavy to lift, considering it was still a hunk of wood and metal. I pointed my gun with ease and pulled the trigger upon order.

As the third week passed of this treacherous training, I found myself doubting the fact that we would leave this damn camp. I hadn't heard one statement of relocating any regiments. However, I did hear news on a few defeats in what they told us as the Earth Kingdom, nearby the Fire Nation colonies. Many of the men seeking the fight started to cuss out the damn colonel in charge, Col. Morgan who acted like Lt. Thomas, never appeared to us since he made that handsome speech the other day about being brave boys and thanking us for risking our lives for this cause, Col. Morgan, we're still stuck at the camp.

Upon the fourth morning of the third week, we were gathered in front of the Mess Hall and Col. Morgan finally made an appearance. This had to be good because Lt. Thomas joined our ranks on the back of his own horse and Sgt. McLyle remained quiet.

"Gentlemen of the 58th," Col. Morgan had started with a bellowing voice that fitted his role as a commander. "We've been requested join the rest of our brigade at a trading route crucial to the Earth Kingdom. We are leaving today, in ten minutes, pack up and get ready to move out!"

Finally, some action.

My days of schooling drew to an end.

To Be Continued.

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	5. Skirmishers

**Okay, we are getting down to Tyler entering the Avatar World. Be reminded that these 'Rebs' that Tyler is fighting are allies to the Fire Nation. Soon enough, we are getting closer to Aang and his posse. Please keep with me on this one. I promise it is coming up soon. **

**Please review!**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.5: Skirmishers

We took a nice boat ride across the vast sea dividing our land from the rest of the world. Some soldiers turned out to be seasick and couldn't keep anything down save for some weak, bitter coffee. I wasn't one of the weak bellies who couldn't stand the rocking waves, I silently enjoyed their little suffering. Sgt. McLyle though remained stern, he never showed a green face. Each time he watch a man puke overboard, he scold them for having the 'weak stomachs', he's a bit more sophisticated than I am.

It took five days for our steamship to hit the shores of the Earth Kingdom. We were harbored away from the Fire Nation colonies that would've been the first and probably last thing to see if we just went straight. Our ship unloaded and we formed our ranks. Col. Morgan and his trusty officers rode off on their horses, all prideful and boisterous.

We started marching across the tough dirt that seemed dry from the lack of rain. It didn't look that different from American forests, I was starting to think I was a bit fooled. Though, I really enjoyed some of the sounds of the forestry. I think I heard some bird calls I could not recognize. I'd count on seeing some creatures foreign to me. I kept an open eye out for anything unfamiliar to me.

No one talked, we weren't allowed. Sgt. McLyle made sure of that. Even though Lt. Thomas had not ordered a quiet march to my knowledge, Sgt. McLyle kept us silent, a little paranoid of seeing the Johnny Rebs pop out of the bushes. You know, those stubborn, gray coated fools who allied with the Fire Nation.

"You know," Jeremiah whispered to me when the Sgt. wasn't looking. "A reb could pop out and getcha, yer Reb Bait to 'em. An easy target. Easy to hit."

I didn't show any signs of fear but to be honest, I sort of shuddered at the thought of a bullet hitting me and downing me. I didn't look Jeremiah in the eye, just forward...like my grandfather taught me. Never look cowards in the eye.

"Quiet!" barked McLyle.

Jeremiah didn't say another word but his shoulder did brush mine and stumbled me a bit which ended up crashing into a man behind. I mouthed a sorry and he shot me an angry glare.

The only sound was the thuds of our shoes, or boots, hitting the ground as well as the hooves from the horses. Our tin cups and other metal belongings that dangled from our belts and our camping packs on our backs, rattled together and made little clinging sounds which a 1,000 men total, it would be pretty noisy.

I flexed my hand holding the butt of my gun. A little sore from supporting it for at least three hours. The wood was also digging into my shoulder. The sun glinted in my eye even though I had my hat on, my visor failed to block out the rays. The air was a bit warm through our heavy cotton material and the stuff on our back. It was turning winter back in America, expecting snowfall soon, here it was like a becoming summer which would probably be an exaggeration.

My ears twitched the sound of a bang. I turned my head and watched a captain fall off of his horse. His horse panicked and threw his body off. We all stopped and looked over. A major jumped off of his steed to check the captain.

"He's dead." he had announced, blood on his white glove.

Another bullet hit a private and the Colonel drew his sword.

"Form a line!" he shouted. We quickly hustled towards the direction of the fire. Only, it came on both sides. We realized this when we noticed some of our men, having their backs exposed, were hit.

"Fire!"

The Colonel soon had the bright idea of making another line in the other direction.

"Fire!"

I was facing east with Jeremiah, Jones and Hawthorne. I reloaded my gun with the others upon the order of the Colonel. Lt. Thomas was shouting on the top of his lungs at his company, Sgt. McLyle was too, roaring like a devil.

"Fire!"

I was on one knee and felt the weight of the pack ready to topple me over. We didn't have time to strip them off. I pulled the trigger of my gun, feeling a bit of a retract. I could see the hints of gray coming from the foliage which they used as a disguise. I couldn't estimate how many men we were up against, my head was swirling with the action.

"Fire!"

The skirmish ended when we heard a Rebel call a retreat and Col. Morgan quickly ordered us to hightail out of there in case they get reinforcements. As I picked myself off of the ground, I took notice of the bodies we were leaving behind.

About twelve, I had counted. One included Lt. Thomas who laid on the ground with a chest wound. My eyes suddenly turned from determination to leave to a horrified look.

"James!" Sgt. roared. He grabbed my arm and shoved me forward. "Go now!"

We disappeared over the hill and didn't look back. We made a good distance away from the skirmish sight and probably predicated Rebel army men.

Many of our men celebrated their first day of action with a good passing of the whiskey in a flask. I was sitting around the fire with my tent comrades who had passed the flask around.

"Not bad for your first day of battle, Reb Bait." Jeremiah commented after I took a swig of the alcohol. I lowered it and handed it to Pvt. Jones. "I bet they had their guns pointed at you, lucky they were dumb enough to miss."

"Stop scaring him, Troy." Pvt. Hawthorne scolded.

"The lad's small and I bet they see him as an easy hit. They always go for the most vulnerable." Jeremiah said, slinging an arm around my shoulders and giving my body a tight squeeze to his chest to emphasize his point. I gave a grunt. "See, can't even take a one arm hug."

"Troy, that's enough." Hawthorne interjected.

"C'mon, I'm just teasin'." Jeremiah defended with a little bit of an squeak.

"I'm agreeing with Harry, Troy, it ain't right to scare the lad."

"Who asked you?" Jeremiah spat back bitterly.

"Don't talk to him like that." Hawthorne fought.

"Or what?" Jeremiah said, standing up to size himself. Hawthorne did as well, ready for a good fist fight.

"Guys, stop." I called.

Jeremiah marched around the fire over to Hawthorne and got up close to his face.

"You think you can go around telling people that they can't talk a certain way?" Jeremiah stubbornly challenged.

"Boy, don't test me." Hawthorne replied. For a good looking man, he looked pretty intimidating.

"C'mon, would you guys quit it?" Jones asked.

"No, I want to see what Pretty Boy does." Jeremiah replied.

"I said don't test me." Hawthorne repeated. "You know damn well you can't hold up against a fight."

Jeremiah launched forward and seized his collar.

"I'll show you who can't fight." Jeremiah answered and with that, he delivered a good punch to Hawthorne's face. Hawthorne reeled back in shock, wiping his hand over his busted lip. Jeremiah went forward again and suddenly a body wedged between the two fighters and separated them.

"Oi, oi, oi!" it was Sgt. McLyle, attempting to break the fight. As he shoved Jeremiah back, who muttered a 'don't touch me', he looked at Hawthorne. "What happened?"

"Sir, Pvt. Jeremiah started it. He picked a fight with Haw-"

Sgt. McLyle cut Jones off.

"I didn't ask you, Pvt." Sgt. replied. He looked at Hawthorne. "What happened?"

"Sir, he was speaking poorly to Pvt. James and Jones and I stood up for 'em, Jeremiah was the one who hit me first and I didn't hit back."

"Would you have if I hadn't been here?" McLyle asked. I looked at Hawthorne's remorse face.

"Sir, I would've. Jeremiah's a poor excuse for a soldier. He goes around sayin' shit to his fellow comrades, scarin' 'em off when I know he's just as scared as the rest of us."

"I'll show you scared." Jeremiah muttered, lunging forward. McLyle shoved him back and he staggered back until toppling over, next to the fire. Jones clamped his mouth to refrain from laughing.

"There shouldn't be a problem among my men. You are disciplined enough to work together, not fight. " McLyle informed.

"He started it-"

"You men are soldiers." He declared. He let go of Hawthorne's arm with a good shove. "Act like it."

Hawthorne rotated his shoulder and stared at McLyle who took a step to the side to get a good look at both of the boys.

"This will not go unheard of. Lt. or not, there will be consequences." McLyle threatened and he stormed away. My eyes trailed after the figure who disappeared in the depths of the night. The fire cracked and crackle but the rest of us were silent.

To be continued.

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	6. My Brother

**Here we go guys! You'll like this chapter. As I promised, it would take only a few chapters to lead up to this moment. So what is Aang to Tyler? You'll find out. **

**Please review! **

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

Ch.6: My Brother

As two weeks passed since our first encounter with the Johnny Rebs, I rested in our tent I shared with the three other privates who were off pulling mischief of sorts. They still believed I'm 18.

I honestly had no idea where we were. We had just finished up marching for the day, passing through a small Earth Kingdom village which obtained a weird name I cannot spell correctly even if a bayonet was at my throat. I remembered passing by a group of three earlier on in the day as we marched. I never shifted my head to look at them but I did notice a hint of awe at our image.

My feet were in pain, those damned shoes were wearing thin now due to the constant marching that Lt. puts us through. I have a feeling the essence of mud and water are eating away at the material as well. At this rate, I have nothing to protect myself in the winter. Pvt. Jones says that's not a problem here but he's a bit delusional, always thinks he's with his family.

"Tyler?"

My eyes peeled from the Book of Exodus to look at Pvt. Hawthorne who looked into my tent. I gave him my attention.

"There's someone here who requested your presence." Hawthorne announced. "I reckon it's a journalist."

I set down my holy book and exited my tent, placing my hat on my head to look more professional. Hawthorne led me to the man, rather a boy, who was dressed in foreign clothes that I could not recognize. As I got closer, I acknowledged the fact that he was bald and had gray eyes but also, a strange looking tattoo of an arrow.

I sauntered up to him.

"This is Tyler, the man you've wanted to see." Hawthorne told the boy. The boy remained to stare as Hawthorne walked away to join the rest of our comrades in a hearty meal of wormed biscuits and soiled meat.

"How may I help you?" I asked the boy.

"I-I saw you marching earlier today," the boy recalled. I think I started to recognize him as one of the three I passed by today late into our march. "And I...noticed that you are wearing a necklace."

I picked up the trinket from my neck.

"Oh this old thing?" I asked. "My grandpa gave it to me before taking his final breath."

The boy outstretched his hand.

"May I see it?" He requested. Confused but kind, I took off the necklace and handed it over to the boy who studied it long and hard. "I know this necklace...It's the same one I gave my brother."

"It's gotta be a replica-"

"No. It isn't." the boy was rather persistent. He turned over the medallion and looked at it. "I made this...for Shang...my brother."

Shang?

"Shang?" I said aloud. He looked up.

"Do you know that name?"

"My middle name is Shang." I responded. "Named after my grandfather, Shang James."

He nearly staggered back in shock. I almost launched my hand out to catch him from tipping over.

"It can't be..." He whispered.

"What can't...be..." realization dawned on me as well.

"My brother...was Shang...your grandfather..."

"...so that makes you my..."

"Great Uncle." He had finished. Now I almost toppled over in shock.

"No, that's impossible. I'm...you're..."

"Tyler..that's your name right?"

I nodded.

"I think it is possible. I was trapped in an iceberg for a 100 years and well...your grandfather lived on those 100 years and had a family and well..."

"Trapped yourself in a hunk of ice?" I blurted.

He nodded.

"It's the only explanation."

I dropped my tensed shoulders.

"Well...that's it then. We're blood related...how did you trap yourself in an iceberg?" I interjected with a raised a brow.

"Long story." He replied.

"I'd like to hear it."

So we took a long walk around the perimeters of the camp and a little into the forest. Calmly and respectfully, I had my hands clasped together behind my back as I listened intently to him. I occasionally stared at the gravel ground.

"...so they found me at the South Pole and well...we started a journey of a lifetime." he had explained to me.

So he ran away after being told he was the Avatar, that took me a while to actually accept it, a part of me highly disbelieved I was related to the most notorious person alive. He ran away because he didn't want to be relocated in some other temple, he had hailed from the Air Nomads and provided evidence of my great-grandmother who tragically died from a Fire Nation attack alongside my great-grandfather. He was swallowed up by the sea so to save himself, he froze layers and layers of ice into a ball and remained there for a 100 years until one fortunate morning, two siblings unearthed his isolated room and freed him. He turned out to be the Avatar that needed to master the other three elements besides air and here we are, walking around, me trying to comprehend everything he is telling me.

"So tell me something."

Aang nodded.

"Doesn't it feel a little weird that we're...you know related?" I asked. "I mean...I look a wee bit older than you."

"It does feel weird-"

"Pvt. James." ordered Sgt. McLyle. We were on the outskirts of camp. "To your post."

"Aye, sir. I was headed there as of now." I told him, giving him a respectful salute which he sternly returned.

"Your post?" Aang had asked.

"I'm a soldier." I said. "I've got civil duties to my company."

"A soldier?" Aang had quipped. "But you're only a bo-..."

"I'm 18, remember that." I said as I picked up my gun off of the stump where I rested it before pitching camp. "Now I've got get going before the Sgt. finds me lazing about again. He's a bit strict on soldier protocol. Damn military ancestry."

"So what now?" Aang had added. I looked at him.

"Pardon?"

"Well...we're family, right? But you're a soldier and well..."

"Aang...Uncle...I reckon we'll cross paths today. Who knows what could happen. War doesn't always have to be so predictable." I stated, hopefully. Aang was a nice lad. He seemed a little too innocent to be the Avatar who I was told would hunt down the bad guys and make sure that there is peace among the land. Nonetheless, he seemed a bit young as well. 12 I think he stated his age to be.

I placed a hand onto my Uncle's shoulder, what a weird thing to say, and gave it a stern shake.

"You be careful out there. Rebs are lurkin' so are the Fire Nation who really want your skin."

He gave a nod before leaving me with a fading expression. My smile faltered into a frown as I soon turned my back to him and headed to my destined post where I would relieve Pvt. Johnson for the night.

To be continued.

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	7. Stunts

**Okay, so Tyler's met Aang already. Is Tyler ready to meet the rest of the gang? You'll see where the gang is at in this chapter. **

**Please review!**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.8: Stunts

I rose with the dawn of the new day, even without the bugler. It became a habit that I rather enjoyed. I would sit on a chair or stump and acknowledge the rising sun, peeking out of trees or even the hills no matter where we camped.

I never experienced the warmth and beauty of the sunrise because normally, if I was up with the sun, it was either to do farm work or go to school. I was never fully aware of the serene and peaceful sight. It reminded me of a new day in the rhetorical sense of my grandfather.

Acknowledging this while up, I touched my little pendant of elegant carving of a symbol I did not recognize and seeing that I am no longer educated, I probably wouldn't figure it out for a while. But, if it had been my Great Uncle, the boy I had met yesterday and had strange ties with, who gave my grandfather this necklace, he could probably tell me what it is.

Speaking of the flighty lad, I was sitting on a chair, sipping some week old coffee when I heard a whisper from the tree above me.

"Hey Tyler."

I looked up and almost jumped up in surprise. The mentioned boy was hanging down from the tree by his legs and he skillfully landed with a pillow of air.

"What're you doin' here?" I asked.

"I want you to meet my friends." Aang had told me.

"You know I am a soldier and I can't leave my post, let alone the camp." I acknowledged.

"Are you on duty now?"

"No."

"So come on."

"Aang, I could be deemed deserter." I told him.

"No you won't, I promise I'd get you there and back in no time." My uncle had declared. Uncle, still weird to say. "Avatar's promise."

"Fine," I surrendered. "But if get caught, you better get me out of the fine damn mess you got me in."

"Promise."

His friends were very...interesting. They were siblings. The oldest was a tall boy with a blue, draping tunic and some leggings that were held up by a white belt that hung on his waist. He had a weird ponytail-hair thing going on and he had this look of disgust at me. I was dressed in my uniform and remained without my musket to avoid getting sour with any of them. His name would be known to me as Sokka.

Katara, on the other hand, welcomed me and entranced me with her beauty. Though, I had a little thought going that Aang was attracted to her so I wouldn't let me go for it all, do not take that suggestive mind you dirty hogs. She had flowing brown hair tied in a ponytail and little hair lopes that graced her thin face. She had the eyes that reminded me of my Rose who I hadn't communicated with in so long.

I shook my head and offered to shake both their hands. Sokka did not take my offer but Katara did.

"It is an honor meeting a real soldier." Katara acknowledged to me.

"It ain't such an honor, ma'am. We're here to knock those Johnny Rebs back into America before anything else takes a bad turn for us, Union boys." I said, rotating both my shoulders in a showy way.

"How many fights have you been in, Tyler James?" Sokka questioned me. Katara looked at him with disdain and muttered his name in a hush whisper. I chuckled, lightly, having the feeling that I hadn't laughed in so long.

"I'd say one. There was a skirmish two weeks ago. Same day we first landed here." I reported.

"Really?" Aang had asked. "What...were the results?"

"Twelve dead but we managed to make 'em Rebs run back to their pretty camp. After that, we hightailed out of there before they get their reinforcements if there was any."

"So you retreated." Sokka concluded.

"I wouldn't go as far to say that. It was only a skirmish mind you. It ain't like a full-fledged battle where we gotta hold ground at all costs." I had replied.

"But you still ran."

"Sokka, would you stop it? He's a soldier and a brave one too."

I blushed but slowly recalled Jeremiah's damning words.

_They always go for the most vulnerable_

"Tyler?"

I shook my head, realizing I had gone off in a distant memory, closing myself out of reality.

"What?" I asked.

"You alright?" Aang had questioned in concern. I nodded my head.

"Y-yeah, I am." I said. I cleared my throat and tightened my face. "Look, I've gotta head back before I get caught. It was an honor meeting you both and I hope our paths cross again soon."

"Same to you, Pvt. James." Katara had replied.

"Just know me as Tyler, ma'am." I said, tipping my hat.

"And you should address me as Katara, Tyler." Katara had told me before I finally exited the camp. My face burning red.

Aang's and my trek back was a bit of a heart talk, meaning we got personal with our words.

"I'm havin' a feelin' you've got eyes on that girl." I told my relative.

"K-Katara?" He stammered. "N-no."

"You stutterin' yer words, completely evidence to having an attraction to her." I replied, knowingly. He shook his head. "C'mon lad, it's okay to admit it."

"Fine, I do like her alright. She beautiful and caring and sweet and..."

"And?"

"And amazing." He said, dreamily. I laughed.

"You got it bad, Uncle." I said, giving him a pat on the back. "And she is pretty attractive. Pretty little thing but seems a bit cheeky."

"She is stubborn." Aang answered. "But Tyler...you're not going to..."

"Oh God now," I said, wavering my hands. "I've got a sweetheart of my own."

"A sweetheart?"

I didn't know what to describe my relationship with Rose. We shared a nice kiss before my departure, was that proof enough that we were infatuated, like true sweethearts?

"Tyler, you got to tell me more." Aang said, rather persistent.

"Oh fine, her name is Rose. She's so beautiful and amazing. Much like yer crush, she's got bluest eyes that resemble the ocean and every time I look at 'em, I get lost. Not to sound sappy or soft."

"Of course, we wouldn't want you to lose your toughness of a soldier." Aang affirmed.

"Aye to that." I replied with a nod.

"Pvt. James!" came an unmistakable bellow. I had just realized I was back at the camp.

There Sgt. McLyle approached me with daggered, angry eyes and he seized my arm immediately. He tore me away from my Uncle's side and threw me in the direction of two other men.

"You left the camp without permission." McLyle determined. "That is not the actions of a soldier."

"Sir." I said, stepping forth. "My uncle came to take me to meet his friends."

"Your Uncle? Who? This scrawny boy right here? He's not even older than you, fool. He can't be your uncle. You're damn crazy to think that."

"But sir-"

"I will have you flogged for your desertion, Pvt. and maybe discharged from the army. You treacherous moron."

"Don't talk to him like that." Aang barked. Sgt. McLyle turned to the boy. "And he is my nephew, we are related in that way."

"You are a child, boy. Don't become crazy."

"I'm not. I'm the avatar and I disappeared a hundred years ago, explaining the fact that Tyler is my nephew and I am his uncle." Aang defended.

The Sgt. let out a bitter laugh. Even though he never laughed before, this one made me angered.

"Yeah right. You are a child-"

A Pvt. stepped forth.

"Sir, he is. There is only one Airbender left and that is the Avatar, that is him." The Pvt. acknowledged.

"So you know the story of this...Avatar."

"I do sir, I teach the history." the Pvt. replied. "Fire Lord Sozin, a leader of the Fire Nation, wiped out the Air Nomads in attempt to kill off the Avatar so there wouldn't be a chance of defeat when they were going to expand their empire. Fortunately, the Avatar had managed to escape and well...most likely if he stays true, disappeared a hundred years ago and suddenly returned to this day, reentering the world without any airbenders. He is the only one left, the Avatar."

Sgt. McLyle seemed to believe him so he turned to Aang.

"Bend, Avatar." He demanded. "Show me this man is correct."

Without a second thought, Aang developed a ball of air that circled around and around and threw it at a stump that littered with tin cups and other utensils, knocking them over as it faded away.

"Does that help you?" Aang asked.

"Do not talk to me that way, Avatar or not-"

"Let my nephew go. It was my fault, blame it on me. I took him to see my friends because I wanted him to meet them before we would leave. He is not a deserter, sir. He was reluctant to leave."

"As a soldier, he has rules to follow and he did not confine to those rules so therefore he will face the punishment of a deserter."

"But he still came back." Aang fought. "He was never planning on leaving for good, you didn't catch him until he got back to the tent. He came back on his own, he is not a criminal. Please don't treat him as one."

"I suggest you listen to him, Sgt. Sir, he speaks wisely." the Pvt. who defended my brother, added. Sgt. McLyle thought for a moment.

"Very well." He said. My shoulders dropped in relief but the Sgt. turned to me. "But you will not go unpunished. Clean up after the horses for a week."

I sighed in defeat but complied with a nod of my head.

As Sgt. McLyle marched away with his privates tailing behind, I turned to my Uncle and he gave an ear-to-ear grin.

"Thanks." I said to him. "You saved me."

"I gave you an Avatar's Promise." my Uncle had stated. I suddenly had more respect for this boy, erm, man, I guess.

My eyes drifted to the ground and I kicked it, awkwardly. I looked back up at him with dull eyes.

"So you're...leaving today, right?" I asked, a little sullen.

"I am." Aang said with a nod. "I wish you could come with Tyler but-"

"I' m a soldier. We're on two different paths, Uncle, we've got to go our separate ways." I replied.

"Yeah." Aang said. "And please, Tyler, don't call me Uncle. I'm still young."

I laughed.

"Fine."

"And besides, like you told Katara, we'll cross paths again soon."

"I have a great feeling that will be the case." I responded.

"I will try to make it happen." Aang told me. I laughed again.

"So will I. Who knows, maybe we'll see each other upon accident."

"Much more likely."

I smiled and extended my hand to him.

"You be careful out there." I told him. "We need you to stay in one piece for a long time."

He smiled back and took my arm. As if we've known each other for a long time, he pulled me into a hug.

"Give me a hug, you soldier."

I laughed and complied.

When he left me standing there, I stood there like a soldier but also like a nephew, watching him disappearing the thickets of the trees and soon out of sight.

I soon turned to my camp, returning to my life as a soldier.

to be continued.

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	8. Word of Victory

**Here is the next chapter, ladies and gents. Please enjoy and please review!**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.8: Word of Victory

When I last saw my Uncle Aang a little over a month ago, more defeats had been reported to my regiment. We've also seen a defeat ourselves.

We were outside of a village and were attacked by surprise by an entire brigade. We lost our ground and many men at that and the village was open to the Rebel lines and soon became a captured village much to Col. Morgan's shame.

I honor those who've fallen in my head, reciting the prayers of God and the passages from the Bible, hoping this would all blow over soon. I'm starting to see the tragedy of the war and all my yearning for a fight or something worth of action, is fading away as I start to wish this war to be over.

I was slightly wounded in that battle. Yes, Col. Morgan counted it as a battle. A bullet skinned my arm as I reloaded my rifle and now I had a rag tied around it to keep it from bleeding and I made it my job to clean it every day until a scab would cover it. My arm was a bit unusable for a couple of days following the defeat. But now I was able to move it again without feeling too much pain.

I had absolutely no idea where we were now. Many men were saying 'in the middle of nowhere' and I was starting to agree with them. Following our defeat, I'm starting to turn a bit into Sgt. McLyle, only a bit nicer and less stern, but I am paranoid.

Jeremiah keeps calling me Reb Bait and the nice graze on my arm only helped his taunting.

_You got hit by a Reb shot! See, yer prone to death._

Hawthorne made another stand for me but I only sauntered away before another fight could break out.

Now, actually, I had no idea what the date actually was. After the battle, I kind of lost track but judging by the warming air, I'd say we're reaching a fair spring up ahead.

Hawthorne joined me tonight by the fire but instead of convincing me that Jeremiah's words weren't going to be true and I shouldn't be worried about them, he scorned me for acting so weak.

"Why do you let Jeremiah do that to you?" He asked. "You know he's not right."

"I just...don't want to get into a fight with him."

"Tyler, you are a soldier. You need to learn to fight your own battles. Don't let him push you around. Give him a good hit if he challenges you. Show him that you aren't as weak as he makes you be. If you don't do something about it, he will keep taunting you and it won't stop. You will be called weak for a long time if you don't do something."

"Do I look like I care?" I asked. "I don't ask you to fight my battles."

"But you need to stand up for your own self, Tyler. You are not weak, I've seen you hold your ground against those Rebs. You licked 'em with your own musket! I saw you!"

"Dammit, Hawthorne, being a soldier doesn't mean I can go picking fights everywhere. Who cares if I let Jeremiah pick on me, I don't need your sympathy or your own self to fight my battles."

"Well then fight them yourself. I'm not letting Jeremiah have the glory of demeaning you."

"Sometimes, it's just something that can't be stopped no matter how hard you try. Jeremiah still picks on you even though you challenged him that first night after our skirmish."

"Tyler, stop acting like a coward and fight your own battles."

"I'm not a coward, dammit!" I stated, throwing my tin cup to the ground and spewing the coffee into the ground. "I just don't want to fight him."

"You're avoiding it, Tyler. In my eyes you're acting like a coward-"

"Gentlemen," Another Sgt. besides Sgt. McLyle greeted. He joined us by the warm fire."What are you so hot on?"

"Nothing, sir." Hawthorne said with a nod. I sat down on my stump.

"Nothing? I hear Pvt. James's voice from the fire of my squad. Tell me lads, what is the matter?"

"We have a nasty Pvt. in our mess, sir. He keeps picking on Tyler and Tyler doesn't do a thing about it." Hawthorne replied. "He's only making him more prone to Jeremiah's ignorant taunting."

"And I've heard you call him a coward?" The Sgt. responded. I believe his name was Sgt. Hanes.

"Aye sir, a coward is someone who avoids fights and refuses to take a stand for himself. Tyler heavily resembles that definition now." Hawthorne responded. I clenched my fists in frustration. I didn't want to fight!

"If I may Pvt. could I add my opinion of this ordeal?" Sgt. Hanes requested.

"Aye sir." Hawthorne accepted. Sgt. Hanes straightened his back and slumped over slightly.

"I do not see Pvt. James as a coward you see. A coward is someone who runs from a fight, scared for his life. He selfishly chooses his own life over the others." Hanes had acknowledged. "Now Pvt. James does not fit that definition. You want to know why?"

Before Hawthorne could respond, the Sgt. stopped him.

"Because he is not running from a fight. Avoiding yes, but not running. He is ignoring the teasin' of the troubled boy. He is choosing his fights wisely. Now, he doesn't need you to fight his battles, he'll have to face it on his own but you need to be careful of who you call a coward. There is a difference between running and avoiding. There is a difference between selfishness and ignoring." Sgt. Hanes declared. "Tyler is simply the latter in both cases. I do not see him as a coward."

Hawthorne and I did not speak for several moments and when we were about to, I heard a voice coming close to us.

"Sgt. Hanes! Sgt. Hanes!"

The Sgt. whipped his body around to face the Pvt.

"Pvt. what has got you worked up?" Sgt. Hanes asked.

"Word of victory sir." He said. "Col. Morgan received word that the Fire Nation was defeated at the Northern Water Tribe where the Avatar mastered waterbending."

I stood up, absently and listened to the rest of his words.

"How does this help us, Pvt. Yule?" he asked.

"Sir, this may sound weird by the moon had disappeared a few nights ago. Remember ourselves questioning it? Some had some superstitions about it was paying us darkness for our blackened hearts for killing brothers?"

"Aye, Pvt. On with it." Sgt. persisted.

"Well sir, this may sound weird but the Fire Nation admiral Zhao took the Moon Spirit, which kept the moon in the sky and killed it. The Avatar somehow managed to defeat the Fire Nation monkeys even without the power of the moon which apparently, made the waterbenders powerless-"

"On with it." Sgt. Hanes repeated again.

"Well sir, this is a great victory! A good portion of the largest Navy Fleet was wiped out and the Avatar achieved greatness in the battle that is starting to make the Fire Nation tremble! This a word of victory, sir! After a month of agonizing defeats, we have a victory that is gonna scare the Rebs! Make 'em think twice about this damn alliance."

"That is wonderful news." Sgt. Hanes said. "A good victory that could give our men morale and faith. And to add, the Avatar has acquired a new element. We are just one step closer to our overall victory."

"Keep in mind sir, that one step is tiny compared to the others we still need." Hawthorne acknowledged. "Now the Fire Nation could be after the Avatar now, we are not close to victory sir."

"Pvt. I did not say this was the battle to win the war. It is a tiny step, I agree, but it still a step. Keep faith that we could see a victory."

"I wouldn't count on one yet sir."

"Well I am counting this as a victory."

My eyes wandered up to the gazing moon and I gave a soft smile, filled with obvious pride.

To be continued.

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	9. Crossed Paths

**Next Chapter Guys. I think you guys should be able to guess what this chapter is about by just reading the title of the section. Enjoy!**

**Please review! **

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.9: Crossed Paths

The bulge woke us up that morning a few days after the news of the victory. A lot had happened since that night. Sgt. McLyle was promoted to Lt. of the company for his loyal duties as a Sgt. and Corp. Stevens took his place as Sgt. and Pvt. Hawthorne took the place of Stevens.

I exited my tent with a bit of a knotted back and I attempted to stretch it out before joining the ranks. I put my hat onto my head and picked up my rifle, slinging the strap around my shoulders and draping my gun on my back. I headed over to the formation for roll call as it became knowledgeable that we would start marching again.

Lt. McLyle, another thing I have to get used to, took roll call longer than the rest of the companies. He tripled checked, a very organized man. We only had two desertions in the past week, a better rate than the six from the week before.

"Men." Lt. McLyle said, standing in front of us as he lacked a horse."We will be marching the Headquarters of General Fong to retrieve our next orders."

Captain Brown, an aged man who looked around 50 years of age, rode up to Lt. McLyle.

"Lt. are you ready to march?" he had asked.

"Indeed. Captain, sir. At the Col.'s and your command." McLyle assured. Pvt. Jones whispered something of humor into my ear. I gave a small smile.

And when we were off, I had my rifle shouldered and my blistered feet started to hurt again. Though in discomfort, I still followed the rhythm of the drums and fifes. By mid-afternoon, as we were expected to be the Headquarters by the morning, we hadn't had a break and my throat was dry. I made the dumb mistake of not refilling my canteen earlier on this morning.

I kept marching though, like a disciplined soldier should be.

We were out in the open and we came across an Earth Kingdom family who's cart was stuck. The wheel couldn't go over a rock and the cart-carrier, what looked like a cross between an ostrich and a horse, refused to move. Their goods were spoiling in the heat and I couldn't help but stop and walk out of the formation.

"Pvt. James! Get back in line!" Lt. McLyle ordered me but I did not comply with that one. Out of the goodness of my heart, I set my gun down and walked over to the cart. It was Lt. McLyle and a few others who straggled behind. "Back in line! James!"

"Let me just help these people." I said as I got closer to the cart. I gave it one heave and it only budged for a moment. I kicked the rock to try and move it but found it useless. I turned to the rest of the men around. "Think you guys can give me a hand?"

They followed suit by placing down the guns and walking over the cart. The Earth Kingdom man held onto the animal's reins and we looked at each other.

"On three!" I commanded. "One...two...three!"

We gave it all we could, I felt the wheel roll up the side of the rock and then plop down in front of it, successfully. I smiled to myself for the teamwork and the man walked up to me as we collected our guns.

"Thank you so much." He said.

"It was nothin'." I said, tipping my hat before strapping my gun back on. As McLyle ordered me to rejoin the line, and cursing at how much we lost precious march time, the man dug into his cart and handed each of us a roundish, orangey-yellow looking fruit as a thanks. Lt. McLyle still shouting at us to join the ranks, threatening cruel punishment. "Thank you."

"It was the least I could do." the man told me.

"James!" shouted McLyle as the other soldiers nodded their thanks and scurried to the formation. I gave a curt nod to the friendly man and stuffed my fruit into my ammunition pouch deciding to cut it up later to savor it more and I quickly joined the ranks of blue.

Lt. McLyle scolded me that night we camped, just about another day's walk from the headquarters. He wasn't going to punish me under the order of Captain Brown who found our actions very disciplined and not harmful to the regiment, so I ignored his declaration of 'could've slowed down the entire army' and started to peel the delicious fruit that had my mouth salivate.

"Looks like you've got a good pickin'." Hawthorne commented as I cut the fruit into pieces onto my tray. The little juices trickled down my hands as I carefully diced them up into eatable chunks. I smiled and set my knife down.

I thought for a moment. My heart was telling me to share among my comrades who were just as hungry as I. I didn't deserve a luxury such as this even if I helped a man with his cart. It was only a push that got it going again. I stood up and outstretched my arm to Hawthorne.

"No, Pvt. It's yours." Hawthorne refused.

"Take a piece, sir." I said, respecting him as a corporal. The kind man reached out and took the smallish chunk there was and I moved onto the next man. Sgt. Hanes dropped by during the distribution of the fruit. Kindly, I greeted the Sgt. respectfully and offered him the last piece on the tray.

"What's this?" he asked as he studied it.

"Some fruit I got from a man who thanked me and a few others kindly for getting his cart over a rock." I told him.

"Then I possibly couldn't accept-"

"C'mon sir, have it." I prodded, gesturing the tray to him.

"Are you sure? Pvt. you deserved this." He responded.

"Just take it." I assured. And so he did without further question. He took a small bite out of it to taste it and he gave that look of overwhelming satisfaction. I smiled, lopsidedly and set my tray down on the grass before sitting down.

"It's good." He said. I started snacking on my chunk. The Sgt. swallowed the rest of the fruit. "Thank you, Pvt."

I shrugged

"I figured everyone needed a nice little treat." I responded after I finished off my fruit.

We started marching just as the sun rose out of the trees. Col. Morgan was very determined to get the Headquarters before the noon hour. I reckoned he was as bored as the rest of us were of nothing to do and was eager to comply with a new order.

We tromped over the puddles of last night's late rain. I could feel my boots grow soak as we just marched through it without a second though. My eyelids were still heavy because of my picket line responsibility which I was sure McLyle scheduled purposely.

Though rain had poured last night, the sky was clear save for a few wispy clouds that were only moving when you got a good stare at them. If I jarred my head just a little bit, McLyle would start roaring at me. He hated anything out of place.

I drew in a deep breath and exhaled, my chest deflating as I tried to focus on something. Without really thinking about it, I thought about home and the forests that I'd ride through with Tommy and sometimes Rose when I could escape my farm work. I kind of longed for the feeling of riding my horse through the thickets.

We reached Col. Morgan's dream and we arrived at the Headquarters where the important officers entered in, leaving us to bake in the sun until they returned. Lt. McLyle was not invited to go in, instead, he decided to show his superiority by finding something to pick at. Some of the men wanted to sit and a few of them did and McLyle got on their case but other Lts. assured the bossy man to calm down and remind himself that we hadn't had much of a break. The Lt. grumbled under his breath and allowed the men to relax.

When Col. Morgan returned with orders, Lt. McLyle went up to the Capt. to receive the information.

"The General has some visitors." I heard from Corp. Hawthorne who gave me a nudge. I saw a familiar beast walking around the perimeters of the fortress.

"I know that beast." I acknowledged.

"Aye, you think-"

"Form your ranks!" Capt. Brown bellowed out. McLyle following. We quickly scrambled into our proper formation and readied ourselves to march. I looked over my shoulder disappointed. My once smile faltered and disappeared as I heard McLyle barked at me.

"The war's not there, Pvt.!"

I looked forward and tried to keep a composed, blank expression.

That night, we were at least five miles from the Headquarters. I stabbed our newly lit fire with a stick, my mind still a haze from all the sadness and now, I was in some depressed state. I needed to see my Uncle for God sakes, I just wished...

"Pvt." came a voice. I looked up and found Hawthorne walking up to me with the Capt. by his side. Respectfully, I threw down to the stick and stood up, saluting to the superior officer.

"As you were, Pvt. James." Capt. Brown declared. I did so and sat back on my stump, still tired from the full day of marching. "Corp. Hawthorne told me that you probably knew who was visiting General Fong, aye?"

I gave a nod.

"Sir, I think it's my-"

"I have arranged for you to go see him tonight." The Capt. said. My eyes went wide and I dropped my jaw a bit. "You will ride my horse to the Headquarters and seek an audience with the Avatar as Hawthorne also included was a distant relative of yours."

"Aye, sir." I said.

"You must be here before dawn. But I will allow you to take a trip out there. Ask him what his plan is and get some more information that may be helpful towards us."

So, I was acting as a scout.

"T-thank you sir." I stammered, saluting to him.

"At ease." Capt. Brown assured. "Now follow me."

Lt. McLyle glared at me as I walked passed him, obviously not supporting this plan. I watched Capt. Brown saddle up his mare and he motioned for me to get on his back. He handed me the reins and a note.

"Give this to any of the men who stops you at the entrance. It's just up this road." The Capt. ordered me.

"Yes, sir."

"Now take off." He said, taking a swipe at his horse's rear to start her off. I hung onto the reins and rode without a break. I encouraged the horse to go all the way, forgetting that this mare was a war horse. I forgot what it felt like to ride a horse, the wind was brushing back my lengthening hair, I had to keep a firm hand on my hat from time to time.

I finally arrived to the large wooden gate that two guards were in front of, spears in their hands. I pulled my horse to a stop when they approached me. One of them stood the furthest out to me.

"State your business." demanded him.

"Sir, I'm a soldier of the 58th, my commander sent me here." I told him, pulling out the message Capt. Brown gave me. The guard took it and read it clearly, however, he couldn't read the words printed which confused me. He handed it to the other man who could read it fine, it only confused me more.

I was permitted to go in. Once I got the horse to walk through the entrance, I dismounted and examined the sight of various buildings inside the fortress, barracks, probably a hospital or two and a nice training field.

"Tyler?"

I looked over and found a familiar female approaching me. I gave a nod, removing my hat from my head.

"Hey." I said with a grin.

Katara looked at me with a confused look.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here to pay you guys a visit, especially Aang. You've seen him?" I asked, hopefully.

"He's...over there." She said, pointing to a balcony.

"Why?" I had asked, absently.

"There's...something not working out like it should be."

"Reckon I should talk to him?" I offered, sliding the hat back onto my head.

"I don't think it's going to do any good."

"Well, I'll give it a try." I said. "Directions would be nice though."

I followed Katara up some stairs, through a corridor and out a room where the balcony was located. I saw my Uncle, leaning over the stone railing and looking at the dark sky, safely guessing the moon. I gave a sigh and thanked Katara with a nod.

My footsteps tapped the ground and I heard Aang mumbled something.

"I'm not changing my mind."

"About what?" I blurted. Aang spun around and looked at me in disbelief. One of his hands was still holding the stone.

"T-Tyler?" He stammered. "B-but h-how?"

"I heard you've got a problem." I responded. "I came to see if I could help."

He looked away from me.

"I'm going to need an explanation of what's going on." I informed, gently, joining him at the railing.

"It's...Every Avatar has this power." Aang had told me. "They call it the Avatar State and its where I'm at my most powerful. I can't explain how or why but something just comes over me and I am suddenly stronger. General Fong thinks I'm ready to master the Avatar State and he is trying to find solutions to entering the Avatar State."

"You can't do it freely?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I don't know how." Aang replied. His voice was soft and a bit rough. "Fong thinks that if I master the Avatar State, I can end the war even without the Comet."

A pretty aggressive general.

"What comet?" I asked, clueless.

"There's a comet expecting to come by the end of this summer. The firebenders become strong and undefeatable because they will draw their power from it. We have to take down the Fire Lord before the comet comes otherwise-"

"All is lost."

Throughout my journey here on this land, I was educated by the same Pvt. who knew the legend of the Avatar. He gave me knowledge of each of the four nations that excluded our country. He named the leaders of the world, he told me the myths and legends of the spirits and the story of the Avatar in general. So due to that knowledge, I knew some things Aang told me about.

"So we have limited time." I concluded, a bit pressured now. Aang nodded, somberly.

"I have to master all four elements before that comet."

"And how does General Fong relate to this?" I asked.

"He wants me to master the Avatar State and attack the Fire Nation capitol where we can defeat the Fire Lord now because of this power."

"And you're going forth with this plan?"

"I have to. Many people are dying, Tyler. I want it to end." Aang told me.

"We all do." I responded. "But, even though I may not know a whole lot of this Avatar business, I'm starting to guess that this Avatar State is like an element to master or maybe in my case, is like becoming a soldier."

He looked at me.

"Think about it, mastering something takes a lot of hard work and discipline." I had stated, obviously thinking about Lt. McLyle. "In your case, it's the elements and the Avatar State. These things take time to master. You can't just jump right in. It's not right."

"But I want this war to end."

"You'd think I want this damn war to continue?" I asked. I shook my head. "No sir, I've lost comrades in fights against the good-for-nothing Johnny Rebs. But I'm willing to ride out the war for you to master the Avatar State. If you foolishly do this now, you will fall. I want this war to end right, I want you to win Aang. That's what the world needs and that's what you need."

"Tyler..." He stopped himself and thought for a moment.

"I can't make you do anything. I'm only a private in the Union Army. This is all on you, whatever you decide is the fate of the world."

"You're right, Tyler." Aang agreed. I looked at him. "I shouldn't do something that could foolishly get me killed and lose the war entirely."

I remained quiet for him to continue but when he didn't say anything. I spoke up.

"I told you we'd see each other again."

It changed the subject almost entirely. Happily, Aang sauntered up to me.

"Come here." I said, outstretching my arms. As two male relatives would, we gave each other a bear hug. When we released each other seconds later, I looked at him. "So I heard you made the fire breathers run at the North Pole."

Aang gave a small nod. I punched his shoulder playfully.

"Good one."

"How'd you hear about it?"

"We've got a quite excitable Pvt. in our battalion. He somehow got the news and blurted it out in the entire camp." I acknowledged. "Told us the story. I heard the moon was almost destroyed completely but you saved it."

"Yeah..." Aang said, grasping the back of his head. "Actually, I didn't save the moon."

"Then who did?"

"There was a woman, daughter of the Chief." Aang explained. "She somehow had a bit of the Moon Spirit's power in her and she gave it back. Unfortunately, we couldn't save her."

"Oh...I see." I said, a little mournfully.

"Sokka liked her." Aang told me. "He was devastated for a few days."

"I'd relate." I replied. "But it was still a victory."

"Yeah, the Fire Nation fleet was destroyed and even though we lost many brave people in the fight, it was still a victory."

I smiled. As Sgt. Hanes would say, it's still a step closer.

It was about an hour before dawn and I gave my Uncle another farewell.

"Get some rest, lad." I told him. "You'll need it."

"Thanks Tyler." My Uncle stated to me. "For everything."

I smiled and gave him another hug before mounting on Capt. Brown's horse. Aang handed me the reins and looked up at me.

"Where are you heading next?" I asked.

"Omashu. So I can learn earthbending." Aang told me.

"No kidding, that's where I'm headed." I said.

"You think we'll see each other sooner?"

"I doubt otherwise." I replied.

"Take care, Tyler."

"Aye. Same for you." I said with a nod and with the snap of my wrists, I was riding out of the fortress with my Uncle waving me off.

I entered the camp hearing a peaceful tune coming from a fiddle and banjo. I was walking beside the mare and found Capt. Brown headed towards me.

"You returned on time, Pvt." He acknowledged. "Anything worth a chat?"

"Aye, sir. I have some information you'd might want to hear."

"Very well." The Capt. replied. He turned to a different Lt. "Lt. take my horse will you?"

"Yes sir." The Lt. said, bowing his head slightly and taking the horse from my grasp.

The Capt. and I took a long walk, I did most of the talking but he did ask questions.

To be continued.

**Please, click that button. **


	10. Trusting Love

**Not much to say but here's an AU version of Cave of Two Lovers, adding Tyler and the 58th. Sorry if it isn't humorous, I tried to make it so. All well, there will be some episode rewrites. But the heart of the episode is still there. **

**Please review!**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.10: Trusting Love

Col. Morgan and the rest of the 58th were well on their way shortly after the sun rose a couple of mornings after seeing my Uncle. As soldiers, we were expected to be at the city by tomorrow. Col. Morgan had it rumored that we were going to fight some Johnny Rebs.

Pvt. Jeremiah, who hadn't been really on my case lately, was a bit anxious for another fight. He boasted about how he would lick the Rebs without batting an eye. I only marched on, the rifle leaning on my shoulder and remaining undisturbed by the obnoxious lad.

We were walking through a canyon. Lt. McLyle had us silent as we marched, cautiously. He was believing the rumors from Col. Morgan and I wouldn't be judgmental of that. I twitched my fingers and shifted my hand a little bit to make a little more comforting.

I heard a low rumble and I looked up, seeing my Uncle flying ahead. It was quite a sight for the soldiers. They looked in awe and I smiled, feeling pride. Though, my pride was short-lived when a chorus of gunfire sang to us.

Almost the entire front line of the regiment fell either dead or wounded. I heard a couple of horses ride up and down and the officers order a formation. A few of us stood on the rocks of the small canyon, getting better aim but making them more vulnerable to get shot.

At first, the Col. had us fire at the same time but we were downing the Rebs fast enough to reload all together so he ordered a fire-at-will command and we complied, fiercely. I was glad Col. Morgan did not order a charge because it would've been like suicide. I couldn't see through the thick smoke and I coughed violently, I imaged my lungs starting to blacken.

I squeezed one eye shot as I aimed and fired. I was so used to the drawback of my gun that I just reloaded my gun without a single pause. After I fired my third to last shot, I heard a shout coming from the other end.

"Charge!"

"Bayonets! Bayonets!" Lt. McLyle screamed, frantically. Capt. Brown begun doing the same and we quickly drew out our gun knives and attached them to our muzzles as they ran like wild hogs towards us. I was starting to panic on the inside, I watched two men drop their guns and run in fear. Sgt. Hanes would name them cowards. I twisted my knife and heard it lock into place just before the Rebs knocked into our lines.

My bayonet plunged into a back and I swiftly pulled it out and swung the butt of my rifle into someone's head. I was knocked to the ground by a cruel upper cut to my jaw by a musket. I furiously fought for my life in that fight. I stabbed the man who hit me without remorse and moved on to my next target. I fired a shot and I was scraped by another bayonet.

Col. Morgan ordered a retreat and I finished the Rebs life and ran as fast as I could, picking my hat off of the ground, foolishly and leaving the canyon. I looked over my shoulder to see if the Rebs were following us but they only cheered.

As we walked in defeat, I found my Uncle and his friends leaving a pool of water with a bunch of funny looking nomads with weird instruments that looked completely foreign. Aang had noticed our presence and quickly approached us.

"Tyler!"

Our entire regiment stopped upon Capt. Brown's order and I silently asked the Col., who was looking at me at the time, for permission to talk to my relative. The Col. nodded for me and I exited the line.

"What happened, Tyler?"

"We met the Rebs over that canyon over there." I revealed to him. "It's impossible to get to Omashu through that way."

"The Nomads told us there is another way to go."

Capt. Brown stepped forward.

"Tell us this way," Capt. Brown requested.

"There's a cave," Aang explained. "It's a good shortcut to Omashu."

"I reckon we can sneak passed the Rebs." Pvt. Jones convinced. We looked over at Col. Morgan who thought for a moment. He rode his horse up to the Avatar.

"How far is it from the other end of that cave?" Morgan asked.

"I think only a day's walk."

"Sir," Capt. Brown said to the officer. "I think we should consider this. We don't have many options left."

Col. Morgan thought again and nodded his head, firmly.

"Very well. We move at once." Col. Morgan declared. He turned to the rest of the regiment and I looked at Aang and his friends.

"Are you okay, Tyler?" Aang asked me.

"I'm fine." I answered.

"But you have a cut." Aang said, picking up his hand and touching my cheek.

"It's nothing." I replied. "I need to join the others."

I retreated back into the formation and hoisted the gun onto my shoulder. Upon command of Col. Morgan, we followed our leaders to the cave.

"How far are we from the tunnel?" Sokka had asked, impatiently.

"Actually, it's not just one tunnel. The lovers didn't want anyone to find out about their love, so they built a whole labyrinth." proclaimed the leader of the nomads, I think his name was Chong.

"Labyrinth !" Sokka cried. I blinked a couple of times. That couldn't be good. Corp. Hawthorne muttered something under his breath.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out." Chong had assured.

"All you need to do is trust in love. According to the curse." replied Chong's apparent wife.

"Curse!" Sokka said, stomping his feet. I was starting to wonder if he'd throw a tantrum.

Once there, I looked at the handiwork of this thing. Surely this cave was intentional and there had to be a story behind it. I looked up at an engraving on the stone overhead in some weird pictograph message. , the one who knew all this stuff, read it aloud.

"Cave of Two Lovers."

Interesting name. We stopped marching.

"What exactly is this curse ?" Sokka asked. Beside our lines, Col. Morgan was discussing with his Maj. who remained nameless to me.

"The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves. Otherwise you'll be trapped in them forever."

"And die." added the lady nomad.

"No way am I goin' into that!" Jeremiah roared.

"Quiet!" Lt. McLyle shouted, about time he said something. I was starting to miss his yelling.

After Chong said something about the end of a song, he strummed loudly on his little guitar thing-y and in a deep voice, he sang 'and die' and I raised a brow. As soldiers, we were supposed to remain emotionless, professional but we kept looking at each other at the strange group.

"That's it! There's no way we're going through some cursed hole!" Sokka cried. Sokka, probably one of the few who are still sane here.

A fat nomad with a drum to his hip, pointed to something along the horizon. We all turned our heads.

"Hey, someone's making a big campfire!"

"That's no campfire, Moku." Katara revealed. Damn right, Rebs were probably on our tail now.

"That's Fire Nation. They're tracking us." Sokka safely informed.

"So all you need is to trust in love to get through these caves ?" Aang asked Chong. I looked at him.

"That is correct, Master Arrowhead." Chong affirmed with a foolish grin. Aang glanced at me then at Katara who was still facing the smoke. I was ready to shout to go inside before we get attacked.

"We can make it." Aang informed turning to Chong.

"Everyone into the hole!" Sokka shouted to us.

"Forward!" roared Col. Morgan.

We all started to follow the others into the cave. We got everyone inside by the time the Fire Nation arrived in these vehicle like things that blew out smoke. We were so deep in the cave they couldn't see us but we could see them.

We heard a rumble and watched the walls of the cave crumble to the point where our exit is completely blocked.

Appa, the flying bison, started to freak out and patted the fallen rocks. Soldiers were muttering to each other, a few were cussing and the rest were silent.

"It's okay, Appa. We'll be fine." Katara had stated. Then it appeared she lost confidence. "...I hope."

"We will be fine." Sokka assured. "All we need is a plan. Chong, how long do those torches last ?"

I glanced at the torch Chong was carrying.

"Eh, about two hours each." He had answered casually.

"And we have five torches so that's…" Chong's wife trailed. She skillfully pulled out a group of torches and scraped them against the rocky ground, igniting them. "Ten hours."

Sokka hurriedly threw them on the ground and stomped them out to preserve them.

"It doesn't work like that if they're all lit at the same time!" Sokka interjected. Pvt. Jones and I exchanged aggravated looks.

"Oh right." She agreed. I rolled my eyes. Pvt. Jeremiah mumbled something incoherently and I noticed Lt. McLyle getting a little restless.

"We need to be pushin' forward." McLyle said to them all.

"I'm gonna make a map to keep track of exactly where we've been." Sokka said as he hopped onto a calmer Appa's back and dug through the saddle to find some parchment and paper. "Then we should be able to solve it like a maze and get through."

It was a pretty good plan.

"Alright, everyone stay together!" shouted Col. Morgan.

We pressed forward and followed Sokka who led us through the tunnel.

"I can see this backfiring on us." Jeremiah murmured. I rolled my eyes.

It was a lot of trials and errors. Sokka marked off of the dead ends down but according to Corp. Hawthorne, we were going around in circles.

"Sokka, this is the tenth dead end you've led us to." Katara pointed out, annoyed. Sokka twisted and turned the map back and forth.

"This doesn't make any sense; we already came through this way." Sokka determined, reading his map.

"We don't need a map. We just need love." Chong said as he plucked a string. He pointed a finger to my Uncle. "The little guy knows it."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't mind a map, also." Aang had responded. I rolled my eyes.

"How can you not read your own map?" I heard Pvt. Jeremiah blurt out.

"There's something strange here." Sokka determined, more said to himself. He lowered his map. "There's only one explanation. The tunnels are changing."

Worried looks glanced around the perimeters. Pvt. Jeremiah yelled out a cuss or two. Lt. McLyle hushed him immediately.

"The tunnels… they're a-changin'. Ah, it must be the curse. I _knew_ we shouldn't have come down here." Chong stressed. I rolled my eyes.

"Right. If only we listened to _you_." Sokka sarcastically agreed.

"Everyone be quiet." Katara hushed. "Listen."

The lemur thing on top of Sokka's shoulder jumped and flew into the depths. We heard sounds and as a habit of defense, we heightened our guns towards the sounds. Something burst out of the darkness and flew around us. Col. Morgan ordered us not to fire but it was hard with a thing with teeth fluttered around you.

"It's a giant flying thing with teeth!" Chong shouted, obviously freaked out.

"No, it's a wolf-bat!" cried Moku.

"Hold, boys." Col. Morgan ordered us.

Sokka took a swing at the bat with the torches. We remained huddled as Jeremiah shouted something.

"Can't we just shoot it down?"

"Save your ammo boy, this ain't the Rebs." Sgt. Stevens advised.

Flames danced onto Appa's fur and he started roaring and panicking, throwing himself into the wall long after the flames died away. I felt the entire cave shake and so did the boys behind me.

"It's cavin' in!" cried a private. Ceiling rocks began falling and our entire formation split apart to avoid getting crushed. I was underneath a loosening rock.

"James!" shouted Hawthorne. I looked up and found the rock detach itself from right above and I jumped back, but not in enough time to go unhurt. The rock landed on my ankle and I shouted in pain.

"God dammit!"

It was chaos and I felt excoriating pain as I tried to remove the boulder from my squishing ankle. I stabbed the bayonet in between the ground and the rock and used it as a lever. Hawthorne came running over to me and called for Pvt. Jones.

"C'mon, help me out here!" shouted Hawthorne.

"On three!" I shouted at them. "One..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

They lifted the rock and I slid out and they dropped it. Hawthorne helped me up.

"C'mon, we've gotta get a safer side."

I noticed Aang running over to Katara and I looked up, another wall of rocks unhinging themselves.

"Get back!" I shouted, grabbing my gun. I took a lot of steps back and soon ran. My ankle was hissing in pain but I kept running. I turned around and found the entire tunnel collapsed, no sign of Hawthorne or Jones. "God dammit!"

Aang, Katara and Appa where on my side and I couldn't hear anything from the other. I leaned against my rifle and used it as a crutch.

"Now what do we do?" Aang asked as he kicked a rock.

"Can't you earthbend or somethin'?" I asked my uncle.

"I can't Tyler, I haven't learned." Aang answered.

"We need to find a way out." Katara devised. Katara looked at me. "Tyler can you walk?"

I took one step and nearly toppled over. Aang rushed over to catch me.

"C'mon, I got you." He told me. "Just put your arm around me."

I swung my arm over his shoulders and he had one around my waist and we walked together. I hopped on one leg while Katara led us through. Fortunately, we had one of the torches so we had only two hours to find our damn exit.

As minutes slowly went by, I started to use my injured leg slightly. I clutched onto the rifle with my free hand as Aang guided me through.

"Aang, Tyler, look!" Katara called. I noticed her pointing to something. There was a round, decorated door that could possibly an exit.

"We found the exit!" Aang jeered, happily. I felt elated. Aang looked over at me. "How are you doing?"

"I-I'm fine." I stammered, wincing in pain as my bruised foot touched the ground even at its most gentle. "I'll be alright."

He brought me up to the door and as I braved my foot, I dug it into the ground and assisted Aang and Katara in pushing the door. We had no success and my ankle was smarting me. I groaned and I heard a moan that caught all of ours' attention. There we saw Appa, pawing and snorting, ready to launch himself forward. We all looked and each other and right as he bounded forward, we jumped out of the way. Probably not smart for my hurt ankle but I rather be wounded than crushed.

Aang helped straighten me up as Katara went forwards.

"This isn't the exit." Katara informed us. Aang and I joined her.

"No...it's a tomb." Aang affirmed.

"Tomb? A tomb for what?" I questioned as I inspected the crypt. We walked down a ramp, well I more liked limped and hopped, and we approached a carving of two people kissing.

"It must be the two lovers from the legend. That's who's buried here. " Aang announced. I raised a brow and found those weird pictographic things written on panels that were also artistically painted to tell a story.

"These pictures tell their story." Katara said on the dais and so she began to narrate the story. The plot had a sort of Romeo and Juliet thing going on. Two lovers from enemy villages met on top of a hill and fell instantly in love. Deciding they couldn't live without the other, they learned earthbending from the Badgermoles which I had no clue to what they were and they created a cave where they could meet in secret. One day, the boy, Shu, didn't return and was revealed to be a casualty. And the girl, Oma, unleashed her devastating power but before she could wreak havoc, she declared the war over and they built the mighty city of Omashu, named after the two lovers respectively.

I looked up at the sculpture.

"Well, all be." I lauded. I heard the shifting of feet and Katara walked over to an adorned plaque on the ground.

"Love is brightest in the dark." She read aloud.

"This still doesn't help us." I finally spoke up. After a moment, Aang spoke up, a bit dreadfully.

"How are we gonna find our ways out of these tunnels?" he said.

"Didn't that crazy hippie say something about love breaking some curse?" I interjected. "And Katara here found something that read 'love is brightest in the dark'"

"I have a crazy idea." Katara spoke up.

"What?" both Aang and I asked.

"Never mind, it's too crazy." Katara dejected.

"I'd rather take a crazy idea instead of giving up and dying." I exclaimed. Aang glared at me then softened his eyes at the girl.

"Katara, what is it?"

"I was thinking… the curse says we'll be trapped in here forever unless we trust in love." Katara began.

"Right."

"Aye."

"And here it says 'love is brightest in the dark' and..." Katara didn't not look Aang in the eye when she was speaking. "And, it has a picture of them kissing."

"Where are you going with this?"

Lad, where do you think she's going with this? Katara, Just say it dammit, the torch is starting to run out.

"Well… what if we kissed ." Katara suggested to Aang. Aang froze, I felt it and I looked at my Uncle. Both were blushing mad and they were looking at each other, this was turning into an awkward moment.

"Us? Kissing?" Aang stammered out. I chuckled.

"See, it was a crazy idea." Katara said, rejecting the 'atrocity' and turning her back around. Aang looked onwards, in a dream state.

"Us...kissing.."

Katara, awkwardly trying to laugh it off, added more rejection and it only made me more sick and wanting to slap some sense into both of them, even if there was a girl. I'd kiss Rose in a heartbeat if we were in a predicament like this.

"Us kissing. What was I thinking Can you imagine that ?" Katara scoffed. Aang turned to her, beating around the bush as well.

"Yeah, heh, heh, I definitely wouldn't want to kiss you." Aang emphasized. His eyes widened at what he said and I slapped my free hand to my forehead. We are so never getting out of here.

"Oh, well I didn't realize it was such a horrible option." Katara snarled. She leaned towards us, offended and angered. "Sorry I suggested it!"

"No, no, I mean… if there was a choice between kissing you and dying…" Aang trailed. Katara scoffed noisily at that. I groaned in irritation.

"What I'm saying I'd rather kiss you than die." Aang added, quickly. Good start, boy. "That's a compliment."

"Well I'm not sure which I would rather do!" Katara hollered as she angrily stomped away.

"What is wrong with me?" Aang asked.

"You're an idiot." I bluntly replied.

"Tyler..."

"You can't say the right things ever to a girl, can ya?" I responded.

"Shut it, Tyler or you can just walk on your own."

"Oh, you wouldn't do that to your poor, wounded nephew would you?"

He took my arm and walked away from it. I would've toppled over if I hadn't had dug the heel of my rifle into the ground and lean on it.

"I'm sorry, Aang!" I surrendered, limping as fast as I could to catch up. "Oi! Aang!"

As things settled down and I started to walk on my own, still nursing my hurt ankle, it was a miracle that it wasn't broken or horribly squished, I found that our light was dimming and we were running out of time.

"We're gonna run out of light any second now, aren't we ?" Aang asked in a depressed state as he looked at the torch Katara had threw in his arms as he tried to resolve the argument. Damn she was a stubborn, cheeky lass.

"I think so." Katara said, now just as gloom.

"Well, we've gotta do something." I interjected.

"Then what are we gonna do ?" Aang elaborated.

"What can we do?" Katara asked, doubtfully. She slowly turned to him and lowered the torch and stared into his eyes. They were not moving and when I witnessed the light completely die, I couldn't see their faces anymore and my eyes tried to adjust.

Another light faded in and we looked. Green-blue crystals hugged the ceiling and trailed on and on to what looked like an exit.

"It's made of some kind of crystals. They must only light up in the dark!" Aang observed. Katara pointed her finger.

"That must be the way out!" She jeered, happily. I almost celebrated despite my wounded ankle. They hugged and Aang looked at her with uncertainty but Katara shouted for us.

"Come on!"

Aang turned to me.

"C'mon," Aang said, taking my arm back and slinging it around my neck. "Let's go."

I smiled, relieved and we exited the cave. I took a fresh breath of that open air as Aang sat me down on a rock outside of the cave. Appa celebrated by falling onto his back and basking in the sun. I took off my hat and leaned forward, resting my elbow that contained my hat, on my knee. My gun leaned against the wall of the tunnel.

Aang looked at Katara with a bit of worry.

"What about Sokka ?"

As if totally planned, I felt the earth beneath rumble and I looked to the right, before I knew, the rocks of the wall exploded and I quickly hopped up and maneuvered out of the way, wincing as I stepped on my weak ankle.

I squinted my eyes to see through the thick trail of dust that swirled the air. It settled and I noticed coming out of two tunnels where these gigantic beasts. As they moved out to the open, I noticed a lot of blue coming out of the darkness. I smiled to myself as I picked up my gun and limped over to my regiment to rejoin the ranks.

"Good to see you, James." greeted Capt. Brown and I gave him a firm nod.

"We thought you was crushed by the boulders." Pvt. Jones said as he slapped my back. I flinched as the force made me put pressure on my ankle.

"Careful with him Pvt." Hawthorne scolded.

"Yes, sir."

Hawthorne looked at me.

"How're you feelin' lad?" he asked me. "It doesn't look like its broken."

"It ain't." I replied. Behind me, my uncle and his friends were bidding the nomads a fond farewell. I glanced quickly there and then to my comrades. "How was it bein' stuck with those people?"

"They're crazy." Pvt. Jeremiah responded. "Nothin' but singing lunatics."

I laughed.

"Form your ranks! We're moving out!" cried Lt. McLyle as he noisily tromped passed. He gave me a look of stern and kind of menacing glare that got me nerved enough to fall between Pvt. Jones and Jeremiah. Hawthorne joined us too and we started marching as Aang, Katara and Sokka both led us forward, this time on foot.

My mess wanted to know how I got out and I regaled them as quietly as I could before McLyle could scorn me. I was interrupted when we heard Col. Morgan's voice.

"Halt!"

Everyone was staring at something, a few had worn looks of astonishment and others had the look of dismay. My eyes carefully joined their sight and I almost staggered in surprise.

The wall of Omashu brandished a flag from the Fire Nation. I bowed my head.

To be continued.

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	11. Another Day's Fight

**Next chapter, not much to say but please enjoy! and thanks to those who are keeping up with this story. **

**Please review**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.11: Another Day's Fight

Col. Morgan had requested Capt. Brown at the top of the line. My eyes watched the two commanders speaking on top of their steeds. Col. Morgan was no doubt sending Capt. Brown behind enemy lines. Sgt. Hanes walked down the line and Pvt. Jones stopped him.

"Sir?"

The middle-aged man looked at him.

"Aye?"

"What is to happen?"

"We're supposed to find our brigade as our brigadier general ordered us too. I have a feeling that's Capt. Brown's mission."

"It's a bit risky, don't you think sir?" I interjected.

"Yes, I totally agree but I think we need to locate our brigade. Maybe we can take back this city."

My eyes focused on Aang who seemed a bit saddened at the sight.

Capt. Brown galloped off over the hill. Lt. McLyle made his rounds, Sgt. Hanes had stopped him.

"Sir? What are our orders?"

"We're to march off and locate the Rebs, we'll figure out from here." He informed. Sgt. Hanes nodded. I was surprised that Lt. McLyle talked to us friendly matter instead of barking orders at us like a hound dog.

"Sir...if I may," I asked of McLyle. He looked at me with his beady eyes. "May I speak with the Avatar?"

"Seeing that you can get words outta of him, go ahead but you return upon my order."

"Yes sir, thank you." I said with a nod before limping off, still mindful of my swelled ankle that Corp. Hawthorne was still concerned about. I managed to march all the way up here, I should be fine, just an injury, nothing major.

I approached my uncle.

"Oi Aang," I called. The three turned around to face me. "You guys conducting some sort of plan?"

"We're going to sneak into the city and find my friend Bumi."

I've heard my grandfather mention that name before.

"Bumi?" I asked.

"He's the King of Omashu and a very talented earthbender, we're going there to get him to train Aang." Katara informed.

"This isn't about finding an earthbending teacher, it's about finding my friend." Aang proclaimed, seriously. I looked at him.

"Alright but be careful, we have no indication to where the Rebs might be at."

"Stealthy is what I do best, Tyler."

"Very humble, Uncle." I jeered, jokingly.

"C'mon, we need to get into the city before we get caught." Sokka pressed, sidling up beside his sister.

"What is your regiment going to do?" Katara asked.

"I haven't a clue," I said with a long sigh. "But I'm not doubting we might be fighting off a few Rebs."

"Pvt. James!"

"I've gotta get back in line." I reported. "You all be careful."

"You too, Tyler." Katara responded. I nodded before walking back to my place.

I watched Aang and the others disappeared over the hill, Appa trailing behind and Momo gliding through the air. I hadn't mentioned much about that innocent, mischievous, little lemur. He was basically a monkey with wings who was helpful at times but also very troublesome.

It was that night where I learned of our next orders. Our General, Gen. Thayer, gave us the command to locate the Rebs and ambush them at night to see if we could repel them backwards so Thayer could get a good hit on them. There was an estimated 1,000 Rebs posted outside of the city, over the bridge that led to the city. We had to buck them towards the west where Thayer would meet them with heavy fire of about 2,500 boys and a couple of cannons under the graciousness of Col. Holmstead.

We hid ourselves in the forestry pasture. Thayer managed to sneak a few more rounds to our lines through sending a few of his own men to deliver it. Capt. Brown returned unharmed and returned to his battalion after Col. Morgan thanked him for his service.

I crouched down behind a bush, biting my lip from the pain in my leg. Hawthorne wished for me to stand but we were pretty close to the enemy. Oh, I saw those gray coats highlighted by the fires. My fingers itched to pull the trigger but I fought off the urge.

I would of guessed we were probably a good 1,000 meters from the lines and if we were careful enough, we could easily startle them and push them back to Thayer's lines, trapping them and slaughter them before they could even begin to think of a defense.

I flexed my fingers and Jeremiah's shoulder brushed against mine and I almost tipped over. I grunted.

"Whoops, sorry, Reb Bait." He whispered. It had been a while since I heard that term. I sucked in a deep breath as I heard sifting of footsteps and a low, quiet voice.

"We're about to move out, at Col. Morgan's order." I recognized the voice as Sgt. Stevens. "We are going to be silent until we hit those clump of trees there, from that point on, we charge at our fastest rate. Go it?"

We nodded our heads.

Col. Morgan raised his hand to signal the start of the march. As his hand swiftly fell down, we all got up and started to quietly skim over the grass and towards the clump of trees. The darkness was a great disguise. I gulped an invisible lump and tightened my hold on my loaded rifle and when I heard Lt. McLyle's shout and found myself near the clump of trees, I took off running as fast as I could with a hurt ankle.

The Rebs sure were startled. They knocked over their chairs and frantically picked up their guns, half of them finding unloaded. We seized the opportunity and we fired at once. A good fraction dropped dead and we ran as fast as we could, roaring a ringing yell and pounding into their semi-formed lines.

They retaliated but many ran as they were trying to save themselves time to reload. I swung my rifle into a head and plunged my bayonet into a stomach.

Immediately consumed by bloodlust, I gave a shout as I bashed the heel of my gun into a head. He was downed quickly and I took the liberty of ending his life. I ducked an incoming blow and thrust my bayonet deep into the next gut. I leapt forward, jumping over a fallen chair and took another life.

The Rebs managed to firm their lines, they fell back and fired upon us. I could feel the wind on those bullets and the whizz of those sounds. We then heard another roar coming from behind the Rebs and found Gen. Thayer's boys trap the soldiers.

We had a victory that night. Any Rebs that were there quickly dispersed due to their failure of actually pressing forward. Instead of occupying their campsite, we joined the rest of our brigade for a nice victory celebration and a good night's rest. I sat around the fire, hearing Jeremiah boast about his fighting. Sgt. Hanes was passing around a flask of Kentucky whiskey, kind of ironic seeing that we're fighting the Kentuckians.

I did keep glancing at the sky to see if there was any evidence of my Uncle returning from his mission. Jones took notice of it about the tenth time.

"What're you looking for, James?" he asked. We were on a last name basis.

"Nothing." I answered.

"Reb Bait fretting about his Uncle?" Jeremiah asked.

Corp. Hawthorne glared at Jeremiah, but I gave a firm nod.

"He's my relative, Jeremiah. O' course I'd be fretting. He's there as the Avatar, no disguise at all, in the way of fire breathers."

"I'd have to admire him for that." Hawthorne commented as he dipped his head back to sip the flask. He handed it to Sgt. Stevens.

"We scared the Rebs good, didn't we Sgt.?" Jones asked Stevens.

"Aye, we did, son." Sgt. Stevens proclaimed.

"Scared 'em real good." Jeremiah added.

"Do you by any chance have an estimate number of prisoners?" I asked, suddenly. Stevens chugged down a bit of whiskey before handing it to Hanes who took one more sip before setting it aside.

"I reckon about 300 or so. I think we only faced off a regiment. Not really a brigade. McLyle likes to overestimate."

McLyle had said something about the numbers entirely different. I recalled before the battle muttering 2,000 Rebs.

"He's like that damned McClellan." Hawthorne blurted. I looked at him. Gen. George B. McClellan was one of the contending General-in-chiefs in our military. One of the top dogs. "Thanks to him, we got nothin' done in Virginia. I think he's the reason why we're not on our ground anymore."

"I wouldn't speak so negatively about him, Corp." Stevens assured. "He did win us a few battles."

"Skirmishes more like it." Sgt. Hanes claimed.

I bit into my worm-infested biscuit and did not give a single grimace.

When the next morning drew near, we had nothing to do. After repeated scouting missions, we were convinced that the rest of the Rebs were inside the city or guarding the gates. So they posted most of us on the lookout for any Reb reserves. We had several picket lines sprawled out among our ranks as Thayer met with Col. Morgan and the other two regimental colonels to plan an invasion into the city to liberate it from the gray coats.

I sat on my rock, my rifle leaned against my side as I rested my still-sore ankle which I probably damaged yesterday in the fight, not probably, did. The throbbing pain woke me up in the middle of the night and it took me forever to fall asleep. So here I sat, bags under my eyes worse than usual and my non-stop hurting ankle which I can't do anything about seeing that the only benders I knew where taking their sweet time finding the bloody king. I know I should be a bit more sensitive but it's this damn waiting around and lack of sleep that's irritating me.

It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun was beating down on all of us. There were barely any trees offering shade and our watches were pivotal. Jones brought to my attention something descending out of the sky and just outside of our camp. I stood up, instantly knowing who it was, and limped over the bison who had just landed.

Aang had that solemn look on his face.

"What's the problem?" I asked. I noticed there was no trace of the King. I looked back at my uncle. "What happened?"

"Bumi wants us to leave." Aang told us. "Us and you guys. He says it isn't the right time to do anything rash."

"But this is his city and we've got over 2,000 men ready to take it back." I informed, pointing to the camp.

"But he says it isn't the right time. Besides, the entire city is crawling with Fire Nation." Aang announced. "More than your soldiers."

"So what do we do?" asked Sgt. Hanes who joined my side.

"I think we've gotta pull out, sir." I told him.

"Then where? This was our mission to be at Omashu." Sgt. Hanes reminded me. I shrugged my shoulders. "I'll go talk to Lt. McLyle."

I nodded and he walked away.

Gen. Thayer soon got the message and ordered a march away from the campsite to avoid any new Reb forces joining. From there, we'd stay put and wait for our next orders. I told Aang this and he looked at me sadly.

"It was nice to travel with you a bit, Uncle." I said, playfully punching his shoulder.

"Tyler, how many times-"

"It doesn't matter. I'll still call you it." I replied, haughtily. I watched him roll those gray eyes that reminded me of my grandfather.

"So...we'll see each other again, right?"

"Count on it. I'm sure we'll see each other soon." I said. "I was right about the last time, wasn't I?"

"Tyler...we didn't see each other for two and a half months."

"Damn, that long?" I commented. He shook his head.

"Are you not able to keep track of time?"

I laughed, good-naturedly.

"It all comes with being a soldier, all you know is what you see. See the sun, its day, see no sun, its night."

We ended that note with a bear hug, well it was more of me doing the bear-hugging.

"C'mon," Sokka called from Appa's back. "We have to go."

I understood that order and I released my relative. I gave him a firm hit to his shoulder. He soon whisked away like a traditional airbender and boarded Appa's back. Katara gave a wave to me and said something more.

"Be careful, Tyler." Katara commanded me, gently. I gave an affirming nod.

"I'll try." I stated. "Y'all stay safe. We need you guys, too."

And just like that, they ascended into the air gracefully. A few men waved goodbye and I only stood there.

"Good luck." I whispered.

"Pvt. James! Ranks, now!" McLyle barked. With a passing glance to my commander and another to the sky, watching the tiny spec float away, I hoisted the gun onto my shoulder and squeezed between Jeremiah and Jones.

"Forward!" Thayer called.

March.

To be continued.

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	12. Cold and Alone

**Next chapter and this one is a big one. We get more insight to Tyler's life. I think by this point, we start seeing Tyler develop as a character. I hope it is clear because I think I see it but I could be wrong. For all I know, it could be misleading. Thanks for keeping up. **

**Please review!**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.12: Cold and Alone

We had all calmed down from our laughing fit. Pvt. Jones had just regaled us with a humorous story from his life at home. Like the rest of us, he was a fellow Ohio man.

I had learned that Pvt. Jones and Corp. Hawthorne came from the city of Columbus. Pvt. Jones was a house builder and Hawthorne was a schoolteacher. Sgt. Hanes came from a little farm that isn't really located nearby a town. According to him, he had just happened to be in a town when Lincoln asked for volunteers and he, without reserve, signed up. Soon that's how our conversations went, we were discussing how we came upon the Union Army.

Pvt. Jeremiah was the one who asked about me.

"So Reb Bait, where you from?" He asked.

"Gainesville." I said, hinting a dash of pride. "I lived on a farm just outside of the town. Only about a mile out."

"Not that bad." Sgt. Stevens commented. "I suppose that's where you signed up?"

Immediately, my mind traced back to that ugly day. I swallowed an invisible lump.

"Aye." I reported with a nod. I cleared my throat, wanting to move on without being questioned anything related to my age. If you'd forgotten, I was a minor is disguise. "How'd you enlist?"

"Easy, I was in town the day the army marched in and they recruited me. I signed up and here I am." Sgt. Stevens told. "A proud soldier of the Union Army."

"Like the rest o' us." Pvt. Jeremiah hooted.

"Aye!" they all shouted, raising their cups. I slightly jarred mine up a bit before taking a steady sip of the bitter coffee, something I was able to swallow without gagging.

That night, I was on patrol as usual. McLyle frequently checked up on our line and did things to improve us. I sat on a boulder again, resting my healing leg which wasn't hurting as much as it used to which is weird for something that was squished by stone. I twisted my rifle in my hands as I stared at a grove of silhouetted trees. The moon was shining bright and gloriously, I could see the wonderful glow on the road we were guarding.

About halfway past midnight, I heard a voice.

_"Tyler."_

It was a whisper. I shook my head.

_"Tyler."_

I recognized the voice.

"R-Rose?"

_"Tyler."_

I blinked. It had to be a dream. I searched around for any of my comrades in blue but I saw nothing of resemblance.

_"Tyler."_

The wind softly blew and my hair followed. I sniffed the fragmented air, reminding me the smell of fresh bread and maple wood. As my eyes settled and opened, I saw a shadowy figure walking towards me. I immediately stood up and pointed my gun at the intruder.

_"Tyler."_

The wind brushed long, wavy, dark hair and the fallen leaves swirled around the slender frame. I took one step and found my ankle completely healed. I gasped in surprise and dropped one hand from my gun, lowering it completely and just holding it to my side.

"Tyler." The voice affirmed, a little louder.

"Rose." I uttered with so much happiness. I finally let go of my gun. It crashed into the ground and I ran forward. As I did, her body came to view but before I could lift her into my arms and feel her warm skin, she wisped into smoke and I found myself alone again.

"Huh?" I questioned. My heart aching.

"Tyler."

I spun around to see Rose staring at me with cold eyes.

"Wh-what?"

"You left me, Tyler. Cold and alone." She muttered to me.

"Rose..." I said, reaching out to touch her. Her figure faded and I shouted. "No!"

"James!"

My eyes snapped open. My breath was shuddering and my knuckles were white. I saw Lt. McLyle hovering over me from my spot on the rock. He had that angry gleam in his eyes.

"Y-yes sir?" I quivered.

"You fell asleep on your shift." He acknowledged, bitterly.

"I-I'm sorry sir." I murmured.

"You know what could've happened if I hadn't wake you?" He barked. I hung my head.

"They would've came." I said, softly.

"Capt. Brown will hear of this, James." McLyle told me. "You didn't follow command."

I sighed.

"I understand." I mumbled.

"Now, stay awake!" Lt. McLyle screamed at me, getting down in my face and spitting on my face. I scrunched my face from the unwanted wetness and as he backed away, I brushed away the saliva from my face and picked up my gun from the ground. I stared at it good and long. My fingers brushed over the cool metal of my barrel.

I sighed and closed my eyes for just briefly.

"I'm so sorry, Rose." I whispered. A tear rolled down my cheek.

I was relieved by Pvt. Jones and Corp. Hawthorne and I trekked back to the tent. I gingerly used my swelled ankle, using my gun as a crutch again. I threw my gun onto the ground before entering the small tent where I was alone. Jones and Hawthorne were on duty and Jeremiah was probably out on a drinking spree, picking on the other soldiers.

I plopped down on my mat and didn't even bother unbuttoning my jacket. I laid down and stared at the canvas. I let out another mournful sigh and turned onto my side, away from the tent opening.

I had just finished my breakfast earlier than the rest that morning. I had my Bible out and decided to read a few versus. I flipped the pages and found something behind my back cover. I took it out and looked at it good and long much like my rifle last night.

A portrait of Tommy and Rose. Rose sat on the chair, nice and straight, probably something her mother had done to teach her proper etiquette despite the fact she's grown up in the country. Tommy stood next to her, leaning on his arm that rested on the top of the chair. He had that farmer's hat that he wore proudly at times and he wore a simple farming tunic. Rose wore a typical country house dress that would always leave me sputtering when she came into view.

"What'cha looking at, Reb Bait?" Jeremiah asked. He snatched the photo from my hand and plopped down in the next seat over. I tried to get it back.

"Oi, give it back." I ordered. He didn't surrender.

"Who's this pretty maiden?" He asked. He gave a cat whistle. "She's a beauty. Hey Jones, look at this catch!"

Pvt. Jones had now possessed the picture and I glared at Jeremiah with so much disdain.

"She's not a catch." I muttered to the fool.

"She sure is pretty, James. She your sweetheart?" Jones asked, personally. I sighed and shrugged.

"I kinda left without much on it."

"How'd you say goodbye?"

"Well...we did kiss." I said, remembering the memory.

"So you are sweethearts!" Jeremiah whooped. He snatched the picture from Pvt. Jones and shouted to those around in the perimeters. "Hey, Pvt. James has a sweetheart!"

Corp. Hawthorne and Sgt. Stevens entered the scene.

"Stop picking on him, Pvt." Sgt. Stevens commented. Jeremiah lowered the picture and I got it back from him with a quick, stealthy snatch. I tucked the photo away in the back of the book.

"C'mon, it's only a little fun." Jeremiah responded.

"Is Pvt. James smiling at your fun?" Stevens quipped. Hawthorne gave me a look of disappointment. Was he really still on that 'stand your ground' thing? Jeremiah grumbled something incoherently.

"So Reb Bait, heard you fell asleep on the job last night." He said. Oh that was not going to make me feel any better. Eyes looked at me. "What'd you dream? Dream about that girl?"

"Shut up, Jeremiah." I muttered.

"I would've dreamed about her. Oh yes, a lot about her. Her. Me. The warm bed."

"Pvt. that is inappropriate." Stevens barked but poor Jeremiah kept on going.

A vein pulsed.

"She looks like she'd welcome a soldier, really _welcome _a soldier."

Anguish consumed my aching heart.

"Shut up, Jeremiah." I repeated, this time louder, clearer and forcefully.

"What, Reb Bait?" He asked, surprised. "What'd you say?"

I set down my Bible.

"I said shut up." I said, standing up. "I don't want you talking about her that way."

"Oh, did I hit a nerve with you?" Jeremiah asked. "I was only thinking aloud. The things I'd do to her...oh man...that whore would sure-"

I approached him and pointed a defying finger at him.

"You better shut your mouth."

He tapped my finger away.

"What would you do? Call on Corp. Hawthorne to bail you out?" He snarled.

"I'm not scared to fight you." I challenged.

"Reb Bait, you talk crazy." Jeremiah said with a shake of his head. "You ain't a real soldier. You've got less muscle than my mother. You've fallen asleep at the post. You can barely keep aim with that gun of yours. Why'd you join the army, boy? To impress that girl."

"At least I respect her, you whore of a man."

He delivered a good punch to my face. I staggered back in surprise. I tasted the blood on my lip and Sgt. Stevens barked another order.

"Pvts, stop!"

Jeremiah attacked again. I ducked his punch and drove my elbow into his gut. It was his turn to stumble back in surprise. A crowd of other soldiers started to gather while Sgt. Stevens tried to stop the fight but we kept on going. Anger boiled my veins and my heart ran cold as I defended myself from Jeremiah. I soon couldn't control my body after he hit my eye. I retaliated with a swift and unforgettable attack. I swung my hand forward and something appeared in the air and hurled towards a stunned Jeremiah.

Just as the moment happened, it ended. I lowered my arm and widened my eyes at a wounded Jeremiah who held his arm, covering a burn.

"Holy shit." a soldier strained.

To be continued.

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	13. Fire Bender

**Uh-oh, Tyler's in trouble. What's going to happen? You'll just have to read forward.**

**Please review!**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

Ch.13: Fire Bender

It happened so quickly that not even I could really comprehend what was going on. It was all Pvt. Jeremiah's fault, he was the one who had to size up to the smaller man and pick on him to protect his own insecurities.

I had already a blackening eye and now hateful eyes were glaring at me as I wiped the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand and watched Jeremiah on the ground, cradling a nice burn on his upper arm.

I looked at my hands, I swore I saw some of that rugged smoke drifting from my palms.

I was a Fire Bender.

"What's going on here?" ordered Lt. McLyle, pushing through the crowd of the bystanders and looking directly at me. "What happened?"

"Sir...I..." I stammered.

"Out with it, Private!" shouted he.

I attempted to try again but Jeremiah found the strength to stand and he told a rather biased story.

"He firebended sir, a firebender...a hateful enemy to our allies and us as well." The loathsome private declared. "And just like the rest of them, he attacked me out of nowhere sir."

I gasped.

"Sir...that wasn't true." I blurted.

"Oh so now you speak, Private." Lt. McLyle snapped at me. "I want the real truth."

His eyes wandered from us and to another soldier.

"You, Corporal...what did you witness?" He demanded.

The Corporal took a step forward and calmly stated the situation.

"James was attacked sir but Jeremiah. James retaliated and well..."

"Was there any bending or not?" the Lt. demanded of the poor Hawthorne. With a somber hang of the head, he answered our superior officer.

"Yes, sir. He did firebend." He responded. McLyle turned to the both of us. He first scolded Jeremiah.

"I will report this to Capt. Brown." He assured and then he looked at me. "I will report everything."

With that, he stormed away and my eyes followed him.

That night, I became the most hated person in the camp. Word traveled round fast and I could only seek solace in my tent, away from the rest of my comrades.

Then Hawthorne came into the tent.

"The Capt. would like to see you." He had told me. Was he a personal messenger?

I left the tent with a blank face but shaking body that rattled my bones. I found the Capt., hovering above a map and indicating to his other officers of our next movement.

"Sir?" my voice had cracked.

Capt. Brown looked up at me and I never saw such a disappointed gleam in his eyes.

"Men, leave us." He commanded, gently, setting down his spectacles. The men saluted and left us. "I heard about your fight with Pvt. Jeremiah. An unacceptable thing from a soldier."

"I'm sorry sir."

"No apology is necessary. I was aware that you were defending yourself and Jeremiah will get his punishment." Brown assured. "But you have another thing that I must deal with."

Firebending.

"You are a firebender." the officer declared. "An enemy to our allies and our nation."

"Sir...I am as loyal as..."

"I was not finish, Pvt."

I took a step back and hung my head.

"Tell me son, where are you from?"

"Ohio, sir."

"How long have you lived there?"

"My whole life, sir."

"And how long have you known about your ability?"

"Not until today, sir."

"Is that even possible?"

"It happened to me, sir. I was unaware that I could bend fire until Jeremiah punched me cold, sir. I am not a dishonest man, I am as loyal as any Ohio man here. I pray that you do not seek me as a traitor-"

"Pvt. James, I am very aware that you are very loyal to our country but we must be cautious. I'm afraid that we cannot allow a man who can bend our enemy's power in this mix. I have sent a message to Col. Morgan about the whole ordeal and hopefully I'll hear by the morning. If he accepts you in his regiment, I will only punish you for the fight but if he doesn't, I'm afraid you will be relieved from your duties as a Union soldier and on your own to return home."

That was exactly what I was afraid of.

"Yes sir."

I didn't get one ounce of sleep that night as Capt. Brown promised he'd speak with Col. Morgan about the situation.

to be continued.

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	14. We Need You

**Tyler's Firebending ability is not yet cleared. Here's some more character development for Tyler in this chapter. **

**Please review**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.14: We Need You

It had been at least three days since the incident and I still stared in disbelief at my hands. How was this possible?

Pvt. Jeremiah's wound was relatively minor, he just exaggerated it to get attention and try to get me in a deeper ditch. I took the blame for lashing out as well as challenging the Pvt. I wished he'd known how much I was hurting when he snatched that picture. I wished he could read expressions and learn how to back off, otherwise, we wouldn't have this problem. I wished that I never picked that fight because it wasn't the right one, even if I was defending my Rose.

My Rose. I gave a small sigh and took the portrait out of the book. I looked at the aging photo and looked at her pretty face. Without a glance or hesitation, I pressed my lips to the photo and let out a breath.

"I miss you so much." I cried. I looked at the body of my best friend. "Both of you. I wish I could write to you two, I have so much to tell you."

I heard footsteps and clanking behind me. I turned and found Sgt. Hanes standing there. I saluted to him but he didn't return it. These past few days, people had been treating me different and ignoring me just because I wielded this hateful power.

"The Capt. would like to see you." He told me, stern. I nodded and followed him to our battalion officer.

I was in the presence of Col. Morgan and his Maj. as well as the rest of the Capts. and Lt. McLyle who I could tell was waiting fervently on the disclose of their decision.

"Pvt. James." Col. Morgan spoke up. I saluted to him in respect and he professionally returned it. "Capt. Brown and Lt. McLyle told me about your fight against a fellow Pvt. and during that fight, you did something that you didn't even know was possible. You fire bended, correct?"

I couldn't lie.

"Yes, sir." I said, bowing my head in shame.

"Capt. Brown has also told me that if I don't decide what to do you with you, you are relieved from your duties as a Union soldier."

"Yes, sir."

"I took it into consideration." Col. Morgan told me. He stroked his graybeard. "But I decided against it."

I looked at him in surprise.

"S-sir?"

"Wait, what sir?" McLyle asked in shock.

"Pvt. James, we need you in this army." Col. Morgan announced. "Like every other soldier we've got, you are needed. You are also needed on account for knowing the Avatar on personal levels. If we want to win this war, we must have a connection between the Avatar and the Union Army and you are it, Pvt. Your role in this regiment is crucial to keep basis with the Avatar. You will continue to fight this war as long as you stand just like you've done so well before. You are still a soldier of the 58th Ohio."

I didn't know what to feel. If it had been a few months ago, I would've been elated and celebrate but now, I didn't know what to think. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. A part of me wanted to be relieved to return home to Tommy, Rose and yes, my father who was probably furious at me but another part of me wanted to stay so I could help my uncle in this war.

"Sir, this boy is a firebender." McLyle reminded. "Need I remind you that those fire breathers are our enemy?"

"This man is merely a boy, still growing up and understanding our roles as we still are. Pvt. James is no enemy to us, Lt. He just happens to have a power that we find evil. He cannot ignore this power completely for the sake of our fight, it is in his bloodline, McLyle. This is something you can't live life without knowing and now we know. So we must move on."

"And pretend it never happened? Sir, that boy burned a fellow comrade."

"The way that it was explained to me, Jeremiah threw the first punch and James only defended himself." Morgan proclaimed. He narrowed his eyes at the Lt. "And that's how I will know of it."

Lt. McLyle backed away like a guilty dog and I felt the corner of my dry lips lift slightly. Col. Morgan gave me one more look and a firm nod before walking away like a professional colonel. McLyle looked at me with daggered eyes.

"Don't think you're free to go just yet."

I sighed and he gave me the traditional punishment of cleaning up duty. I walked through the camp, few men looked at me and a few murmured something. 'fire breather' it sounded like.

I sat on a stump and I heard Jeremiah spit some ugly words at me. I only shifted my foot, which was healing and I didn't have to use a rifle anymore to lean on. Corp. Hawthorne and Pvt. Jones appeared, it seems like they're never separated, like blood brothers or something.

"So what's the call?" Corp. Hawthorne asked as he sat down in front of me.

"I'm staying." I said. "Col. says he needs me to keep in touch with my uncle."

Hawthorne nodded his head and there was silence again. I spent my day on patrol, finding nothing else better to do. Through their eyes, with me being a fire breather, I'm a traitor to their eyes so they give me the cold shoulder. It made me a little peeved that they ignore me because of a power I didn't even know I possessed until three days ago. Besides, it most likely won't be used much in my lifetime. I'm not a master at it and I don't plan to be.

But I sat on the rock, interested in my hand. I sighed to myself as my fingers touched the sweaty palm. Without really thinking about it, I flicked my fingers together to try and ignite a small flame. It didn't work. I bit my lip and tried again, it didn't work.

I gave up after a while and decided to actually pay attention to the road.

We've been here for at least a week now. Rumors had it more Rebs and Fire Breathers got to the city to firm its defense. We weren't coming back any way, it was a lost cause until that crazy king decides to do something. I hadn't heard any word about Uncle Aang or his friends, I supposed they were off to find another earthbending teacher I assumed, seeing that Bumi fella wasn't an option.

"Pvt."

My head looked over my shoulder and saw Sgt. Hanes approaching me. I stood up in respect and saluted to him.

"At ease."

I dropped my shoulders and he came to me, his hands were behind his back.

"I wanted to talk to you."

I gave him a nod.

"I wish to know why you fought Pvt. Jeremiah."

I looked away in shame.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Pvt." Hanes assured. "I'm sure your reason was valid."

"Sir...it wasn't. I overreacted when I shouldn't have. I...had enough of Jeremiah's torment and tried to do something about it...sadly, it didn't turn out so good."

"I admire your honesty, Pvt." Hanes told me. "It's the best I've seen in many years."

Honesty? I was a 14 year old boy cloaked by a false age of 18 years. I didn't speak of this to my Sgt. I was already sore with Lt. McLyle and the rest of the regiment enough.

"But what did Jeremiah say this time that got you angered?" Sgt. Hanes inquired. I sighed.

"He..." where could I begin? "He talked poorly about this girl...I like."

I blushed in embarrassment but Sgt. Hanes gave a grunting chuckle.

"This girl..." He trailed. "Is she an admirer?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah...you can say that."

He chuckled, lightly.

"A fight over her?"

"Sir...I'm sorry, he'd angered me with his words and I just...lost all my sanity."

"We're all tired and homesick Pvt." Sgt. Hanes informed. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "You haven't lost your sanity. You're in love, Pvt. and you miss her dearly as you dearly miss your home. We've been gone from America for a long time, no idea when to return and even before that. You are a soldier, Pvt. but you are also a human being. Do not be ashamed of homesickness. Being sane or insane has nothing to do with it."

I nodded.

"But there are other ways to cure it." Sgt. Hanes assured as he removed his firm grip. "Have you tried sending a letter?"

I shook my head.

"Where could I get it mailed?" I asked. "We're out here in the middle of nowhere."

"I suggest the next town we visit that's not crawling with firebreathers." Sgt. Hanes said. I laughed, quietly at that statement. "I'm sure there is some service that would be helpful to you."

I gave another nod.

"Why don't you get something to eat, Pvt." Sgt. Hanes suggested. "I'll take over for you."

"You sure sir?" I asked. I had just realized night had fallen. I nodded my head.

"And be sure to rest, rumors have it we might start marching again soon." Sgt. Hanes endowed. I nodded and saluted to him which he returned with a smile. I was about to leave when I stopped and looked over my shoulder.

"Sgt. Hanes?" I called. He turned to look at me. "Thanks."

"Any time Pvt." He said with a adorn smile and I walked away from the road into the camp.

Sgt. Hanes had been right about those rumors circulating a pending march. Col. Morgan got the order about three days later. Though there had been no word on my uncle, we were chosen to march across a trade route to Ba Sing Se and insure protection for Earth Kingdom citizens supplying trade. Other rumors circulated that the Johnny Rebs were on the move towards the capitol city and we had to chase them before they get there.

Jeremiah was sure excited and Pvt. Jones had a bit of premonition which was very common on these marches so it came no surprise to me.

We marched through the balmy air to the beat of the battle drums and fifes. I was in the middle section of the regiment, a little further up from the flag barriers. Both our flags, country and regimental, flew proudly as we marched professionally. I am aware I use that word a lot but it was the best fitting word to describe it all.

My eyes stared blankly but my mind had narrowed on one thing. Home. I abided to Sgt. Hanes's advise about being homesick, I was hopeful to find a town to send a letter home. I had so much about home on my mind. I hadn't just thought of my Rose but also of Tommy, of Gainesville and guiltily, my father.

Not much had been mentioned about that old man except for he likes to take advantage of going from town to town for trading and get drunk on the stool. He was a champion drinker. I'd see him down bottles of whiskey at a time when he was at home. He also favored Kentucky whiskey, nothing else. He'd also consume some rare beer at the taverns. Sometimes his trips took one to two weeks in some of the nearby towns which was not average. It didn't take that long to settle agreements or to travel, I suspected he was taking loads of vacations, leaving me home to do all the hard work. He's been doing this since my mother died. I haven't mentioned her. She died of childbirth when I was supposed to have a baby sister. Sadly, we lost them both in that one day. Pa was so depressed that he drowned his sorrows with the greatest weakness and had been doing it ever since. He never remarried nor had he had a steady relationship.

Even though my father was an addicted drinker, he still raised me as a single parent after my mother died. He secured education for me, he taught me to farm, we prayed every night at dinner. We had a great father-son relationship. He wasn't crazy as everyone thinks, he was still a man of God and followed the words of the Bible. Thinking about that makes me feel guilty for my thoughts when I enlisted. Those horrible things I spat, his long absences and heavy drinking was the only thing I could picture about him.

I let a tear roll down my cheeks, I was a horrible son to him. I ran away to join the army for my own selfish reasons. I wanted to travel and seek revenge on my poor father who'd do the work from now on if he wanted to keep that farm. When this war is over, I could only pray to God for mercy for being so awful.

I wanted to blurt out my real age so I could be relieved and go home like they've done with a few other secretive minors but knowing now that I had a job in this regiment and in the army, I had reasons to stay. Something I wish I never acquired on this long journey.

Col. Morgan ordered a halt that night and we pitched camp. We didn't set up our tent, knowing we would fall out at dawn. I just unrolled my mat and laid down on it, draping a thin blanket over my slender body. My bones were starting to show due to the lack of food and nutrition, something I would be concerned about, even Corp. Hawthorne pointed it out. Slowly, my comrades' brief hatred of me faded away as I was starting to be welcomed back, it was a good feeling. Though, if you were Jeremiah, there were still reasons to feel sore.

About three days into our march, we hadn't seen a single Reb soldier and we were starting to wonder if we were in the middle of nowhere. I looked around at the brown grass. Pvt. Fredrick, the knowledgeable Avatar-world genius, said something about 'occasional droughts' in some parts of the Earth Kingdom. It was a massive country according to him.

As usual, we broke into camp about 300 feet from the road. Pvt. Jones and Pvt. Jeremiah were off on patrol and I ate my dinner in completely peace. We heard faint cannon fire off a distance that put McLyle on edge so he added more men to the picket line, of course by force. I got lucky not to be singled out as he sent five men to the line.

One of those weird ostrich-horses rode in about three hours after sundown. The rider was a Earth Kingdom soldier, I could tell by the robes he wore. He came looking for Col. Morgan and found him after guidance from the Maj. who I still lacked a name. The messenger had a report about the cannon fire that we kept hearing. It was Reb artillery shattering a Union defense that surrounded an important trading depot. It sounded like they needed some reserves to secure our position. Col. Morgan gathered us and marched us towards the booms.

It was hard to take down Reb artillery especially when you lacked experience which we all, except for the old Maj. who fought in some other war against batteries. Col. Morgan met with the commanding officer and volunteered us to fill in the big gaps the line had. It was a little weird to be in between soldiers from a different regiment. Pvt. Jeremiah somehow sparked a conversation as we fired our guns upon order.

"Where you boys from?"

A soldier answered.

"Michigan."

"How about the others?"

"An Indiana regiment and a battalion from Wisconsin."

I didn't have time for small talk. I just fired my gun, hoping I'd hit one of those gray bodies that I couldn't be able to see if it weren't for the constant flashes from the cannons and our rifles. We barely squeezed behind a stonewall and what there was of it was starting to fall apart. A shell breached into the stonewall and three men went flying into the air while the arsenal killed or wounded its surrounding. I flinched when I felt some dirt fall onto my head. I pulled the trigger.

"How about you guys?" the Michigan mercenary projected as he loaded his muzzle.

"We're proud Ohio boys." Jeremiah sold. "58th under the command of Col. Morgan."

"I've heard about you guys." The soldier said as he fired his gun. "You boys know the Avatar."

"Aye, our Pvt. James there is his grand-nephew." Pvt. Jeremiah had said. Jeremiah had been next to me so I was able to hear their conversation with vague. "He's also a firebender."

"Really, why's he in our army then?"

I winced as I yanked out my ramrod.

"Col. Morgan's got a sweet side for him." Jeremiah declared, openly as he fired his musket.

"Smells like trouble."

I didn't say anything. Just focus on surviving.

I heard someone shout down the line.

"Canister!"

I had no idea what it meant until I heard a loud pop and heard so many cries near me. The man Jeremiah had talked to, fell to the ground, dropping his gun and gave one moan before going silent. I bit my lip, my body was quivering. Whatever these things were, they were just as dangerous as the shell.

"We have to charge." I heard a commander say behind.

"We don't have enough men too." I heard another bark. "And they have the uphill advantage."

"We need to try, sir, otherwise this town can raise the enemy flag."

I didn't fire another shot after hearing that. My entire face turned white as I realized there was a chance that I'd meet my doom, running like a fool up that ridge.

"Whew, hear that Reb Bait?" Jeremiah proclaimed. "We might charge."

Yes, you fool, I heard it just as loud as you did.

I finished loading my gun when I heard a shout.

"Bayonets!"

One man snuck away from the wall without an officer knowing. The darkness was a great disguise. I was about to pull out but something echoed in my mind.

_A coward runs from a fight._

I gulped and pulled out my gun knife. I messed around with it until it clicked and locked. I checked for its firmness and waited for the order, pressing my body against the make shift wall. I heard a whizz and a boom and some more cries. I closed my eyes to shield from the dirt.

"This guy's crazy." A Pvt. from my regiment muttered. "It's suicide."

"At the double-quick!"

I silently prayed to God but before I could finish to say 'amen.' All the men ran forward, leaping over what remained the stonewall. I jumped and matched my pace. It was total slaughter, a idiotic thing to do but somehow, we repulsed the artillery. They were running like hell when some conquered the hill. I was one of the last to make it up there. We fired our remaining shots.

It was a miracle that I survived. I witnessed many fall as they struggled to get up the hill. I thanked the drilling I was put into. It helped fleshed out my legs enough to run long distances up the hill. Col. Morgan shouted for us to turn the cannons on them and we teamed up, four or five to a cannon and twisted them around. None of us had a clue how to load them but we did try anyway. It didn't make much of a difference. The graybacks were running like wild men. We had the ridge. The high ground.

I still hadn't figured out the reason why we won. Was it because the charge was a surprise and they couldn't reload fast enough. I counted five cannons and suspected that they were firing at the same rate. We also found little ammunition.

That morning, I discovered our overall loss. In the fight, Sgt. Stevens was killed. Pvt. Jones was severely wounded and was taken to a field hospital. We had guessed that he was going to amputated.

Hawthorne led us in prayer that morning. He wasn't a preacher but he did have experience at a church. I held my hat and somberly stared at the ground. My hand was bloody from a piece of shrapnel that somehow my hand came in contact with when we charged.

After I said 'amen' and joined others for patrol, I heard Lt. McLyle announce something.

"The Avatar is on his way to Ba Sing Se."

To be continued.

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	15. Ba Sing Se

**Just another upload if you guys are interested.**

**~Soldier78~**

The Epic of Tyler

ch.15: Ba Sing Se

I could feel the sun basking on my cotton-covered back. Sweat trickled down in paths and I could feel my growing black hair stick to my forehead. My throat was parched and I had just finished what water was left in my canteen about two hours ago.

The dirt road was pretty hard and lacked some rain. We were hoping that we weren't camping in these conditions. I was staring at the ground, trying to keep myself from blanking out from the heat, when I felt a nudge to my shoulder. I saw Jeremiah point to something in particular and I looked up. My breath hitched in my throat as I found the sight of a long, tall and curvy wall go on and on. I heard Pvt. Fredrick's voice.

"The Outer Wall."

Something told me that we were here.

There was a team of guards posted on the ground level in front of what would be a gate. I couldn't tell because it was just a slab of rock. Col. Morgan approached them. Morgan explained everything and even showed a note to the Earth benders.

We were permitted to come in and they opened the gate for us with some very, impressive bending. Though I'd been on this land mass for months, I wasn't very used to the bending. As Union soldiers, we rarely saw it because we've been facing the Rebs more than the Fire Nation.

We filed into the prairie that expanded beyond and around the Inner Wall as Fredrick proclaimed. He went on and on about how out here was the agriculture and on the other side was the big city.

By the nighttime, the camp was all set up. I had a feeling we were going to be here for a long time and we wouldn't see battle very soon. That made me somewhat relieved. We all feasted on our bug-invested and bitter food and either talked or sang/played campfire songs. I was sitting with Corp. Hawthorne and Sgt. Hanes, Pvt. Jeremiah was out and about, most likely annoying the other soldiers.

"So, Pvt." Hanes said as he lowered his tin cup of watered coffee. "I've been meaning to ask you something about this fire ability you've got."

He had to bring that up? But as a lower rank, I only gave a nod for him to continue.

"Are you planning to master it?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I dunno sir, it never really occurred to me that I had to actually use it in life." I replied before biting into my stale cracker. I swallowed before continuing. "Frankly, I don't want to have anything to do with it."

"Why, Tyler?" Hawthorne abruptly asked. "It's something that none but you have."

"Because, aren't we fighting those with the power?" I asked. "I don't want anything to do with that kind of power. I'm an American. Not some fire breather. I'm fighting with the gun not with this...fire flying out of my hand."

"Pvt. James, if I may." Sgt. spoke up. I gave him a nod. "Son, it's not like you're going to be corrupted like those fire breathers are. You will still be an American, you just happen to come from an ancestry of benders. You're the great nephew to the Avatar for Christ sakes. There's no doubt you'll have some kind of bending."

I bit my lip.

"If you didn't have the fire bending and something else would you master it?" Hawthorne asked. That stumped me. I remained silent as we heard the faint lyrics of "Home, Sweet Home."

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam," they sang. "Be it ever so humble there's no place like home!"

Whenever I hear that pretty song, I think of home. I think of America and my role in it. I looked at Sgt. Hanes and Hawthorne and I gave a shrug.

"I really have no idea. And it wouldn't matter anyhow," I said. "There's no masters here to teach me."

That next morning, I made it my goal today to find my Uncle. I hadn't seen him since after the battle of Omashu but from what the farmers and some refugees seeking fortune in the agriculture, Avatar Aang was indeed inside the city.

I was permitted to leave the camp on my search. Capt. Brown's only order was to get an update of what was happening. However, there were some regulations that I had to follow. I was not allowed to wear my soldier uniform which I was happy for so I took off my overcoat and set down my rifle. I kept my ammunition pouch on but I looked like a traditional American commoner and would pass as one.

They didn't pay much heed to my weird appearance but I did state that I was an American. I boarded their monorail train that was powered by some strong earthbending. I couldn't see much of it but it reminded me of the steam powered trains back at home, they were really that fast.

I entered what appeared to be the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. In other words, it was the home to the newcomers and peasants of the city. Refugees who were non-farmers arrived here to establish their own businesses by getting odd ball jobs. There were booths set up all over the place. I kept a hand on my concealed knife that I always carried around if I didn't have my gun. It felt weird to think that I was passing myself off as just an American and not a soldier.

My eyes glanced back and forth. Some people were giving me these odd looks but I continued walking. Once I arrived in the Middle Ring, I realized the roads were no longer dirt instead, they were cobblestoned and the houses weren't as run down as the Lower's. I was careful of passing wagons and pedestrians as I admired the differences.

I had leads to where my uncle was residing. Some people have said the Upper Ring and I couldn't guess otherwise. If they valued their important visitors, they would definitively value my Uncle. Though I was in the city and the weight of my schlepping lessened, the sun was still beaming on me and I could still feel the sweat.

But I still had to walk. It was too bad that I wasn't rich enough to get a wagon. The hat I was still allowed to wear didn't do much good but block out the sun rays so I could see.

About three steps into the Upper Ring, I was crossed by three men in these weird black-green suits with these ridiculous helmets. They did not look like the guards from the Outer Wall and the station.

"May I help you?" I asked.

"Commoners are not permitted into the Upper Ring."

"Sir, I mean no harm." I told him. "There is someone I know that resides here in the Upper Ring as you call it."

"What are you, son? " He asked as he studied my clothing. "Where do you come from?"

"Sir, I am an American." I said, proudly. "Now would you please let me through so I can visit someone."

I was about to walk passed by they blocked me.

"Who are you seeing?"

"Avatar Aang."

"Avatar Aang is not available-"

"Oi, I'm his nephew." I bluntly stated.

"His nephew? He's just a boy." The man laughed.

"Laugh all you want but hear me out, I'm no harm. I won't hurt your pretty little city. Now would you just let me pay him a visit." I said, ready to take a step forward.

"We will take you to the Avatar." The man declared. "If they do not recognize you, you will be jailed."

At least it wasn't hanging.

I nodded my head and followed them to the house in the Upper Ring. The Upper Ring accommodations were very fancy.

"So who lives here?" I asked.

"Government and military officials and anyone else who are important."

That was code for nobility and the wealthy. It was an aristocratic government. I sighed and shook my head.

They brought me to a elegant home, a porch wrapped around its entire perimeter, the roofs were tilted up and supported by stone pillars and the door was beautifully decorated, elegantly. It had a good chestnut brown color to it. There were some door knockers, I lack a better name for them, and I was permitted to knock on the door.

I noticed the door slide upon with a swift, swishing kind of sound.

"Tyler." It was Katara who greeted me with a warm smile. "It's great to see you."

"Aye." I said with a firm nod. Over my shoulder, I glanced at the Dai Li.

"Told you I know 'em." I huffed.

"We've got our eye on you, American." One of the agent men pronounced. I rotated my shoulders as a sign of fearlessness and Katara motioned me to join inside. The door went shut after I walked in. It was first floor flat with a large lofty-like room with a few doors on its side walls where I presumed was the location of the bedrooms and a washroom, hopefully.

"Tyler." greeted my Uncle who had jumped off from a window's ledge and walked up to me.

"Hey, Uncle." I jeered with a happy grin. We gave each other a hug for good measure.

"Geez, Tyler." Aang said as he pulled away, his smallish hands were still at my shoulders. "You look like you haven't bathed in forever."

His nose wrinkled.

"And smell like it."

"You'd expect a soldier to stay as clean as you?" I replied, bluntly. Aang rolled his eyes. "'Sides, it's not that bad."

"I almost couldn't recognize you from all the soot on your face." He said, touching my cheek and contracting a bit of the filth. I laughed.

"Haven't had the time to wash up." I acknowledged. "We only had five minutes to fill up our canteens and get a move on."

"So the rest of your regiment is here?" Sokka asked. Katara disappeared behind one of the door. I gave him a nod.

"Aye, we're within the Outer Wall." I said.

"That's great." Aang said with a grin. "For how long?"

"Um...excuse me. My feet can still see." came a snarky comment from behind. A small, Earth Kingdom-dressed female about Aang's age, stepped up to me."Who's this bozo?"

"Toph." Aang hushed. "This is Tyler, my great-nephew I've told you about. Tyler, this is Toph, my earthbending teacher."

I gave a nod but blinked as I processed her comment.

"Excuse me, did you say your feet can see?" I asked. She wasn't looking at me but she did respond to me.

"Yeah. What about it?"

Katara came back into the room just as Aang was explaining their newest addition. She handed me a damp towel and I thanked her, silently and started to finally clean off my smoldered face.

"Toph was born blind but she learned how to see using her feet." Aang explained to me. "She's able to detect vibrations and she uses them to her advantage."

That made a lot of sense.

"That's cool." I commented with an amazed grin. I handed the rag back to Katara who took it and set it aside. "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah." Toph said, waving me off. "So Tyler, where're you from?"

"America, ma'am." I said with a curt nod.

"Don't call me ma'am." Toph barked.

"Sorry," I apologized. I corrected myself. "America, Toph. Gainesville, Ohio."

"Never heard of it." Toph said. "Is it some sort of city?"

"I have a farm about a mile north from the town." I answered.

"So you're a farmer." Toph assumed. I nodded.

"Aye." I answered. I felt a bit of a pang in my heart from an image of home so I quickly changed the subject. "So where're you from, Toph?"

"Gaoling, a small city in the Earth Kingdom."

"I reckon we've marched passed a road leading up there." I remarked. "What'd your family do?"

There was silence and Toph blew air onto her covering bangs. Something told me I said something wrong.

"They were wealthy and owned a big estate. Everyone knows who they are."

Nobles.

The way she stated that sentence as if she was ashamed of the whole thing. I didn't ask further questions and she sauntered away once she was done. I had to excuse myself before something else happens.

"I think I have to get on out of here." I told my friends and Uncle. "Col. Morgan's expecting me back soon and I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"Sure, Tyler." Aang said. I was about to turn around when I discovered something worthy of my attention. I turned to him.

"Hey, Aang?" I asked. "Why are you guys here anyhow?"

Again, I saw shame and sadness and I really wanted to slap myself if I could.

"Tyler," Aang said. "Can I walk with you back to your camp?"

I nodded my head and we both exited the house. We were walking down the stone road and he was talking to me in such a seldom voice.

"Appa was kidnapped when we visited a library in the middle of a desert." He explained to me. I blinked in surprise.

"What?" I asked. "That's..."

"We've confronted the captors and they led us here." Aang interrupted. It must've been rough on him, I could tell how much that beast meant to him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"You have every right, Tyler." Aang said. "You are my nephew."

"That's still a bit weird."

He snorted a laugh and I smiled.

"And...well...we have another interesting thing that may be helpful to your army."

"Which is?"

We stopped walking.

"We know when a solar eclipse is coming. It will lead the Fire Nation vulnerable."

To be continued.

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	16. Three Letters

**Another chapter. Enjoy. **

The Epic of Tyler

ch.16: Three Letters

I went to visit Aang the afternoon before the night came but everyone was gone. I conceded that it was some sort of adventure, hopefully pertaining to ending Long Feng's conspiracy act.

It was about a couple of hours until midnight and I was poking the burning longs with a stick. Pvt. Fredrick was sitting across from me, on the other side, minding his own business by reading some sort of information about this strange world.

I had a strand of grain held in my mouth by shut lips. I was staring in the flames of that fire, thinking nothing but of home.

"There he is." came a voice. I looked up and found my Uncle walking from the shadowy depth. The light from the fire illuminated his face.

"Hey, Uncle." I said with a smile. Pvt. Fredrick looked up and almost leapt back in surprise.

"Avatar Aang." he gasped. He started to bow, obliging to Avatar world protocol. Avatar Aang looked at me.

"What do you say to get him to stop?" He asked. I laughed.

"At ease." I informed.

"At ease." Aang repeated with a joyful grin. I smiled as Pvt. Fredrick, blushing probably, sat down and returned to his scripture. I looked at my relative.

"So, what news has the Avatar visit the camp?" I asked. He pulled out something from his tunic.

"We managed to arrest Long Feng, The Earth King is in full power again and he is on our side with the Invasion of the Fire Nation." Aang explained. "The group and I are splitting up for about a week. I got word that there is a Guru at the Eastern Air Temple that can teach me how to control the Avatar State. Sokka got word about his father and a fleet of his ships at the mouth of some river that leads into Ba Sing Se. Toph is going to visit her mother and Katara is going to stick around with the Council of Five to help discuss the invasion plan."

"That's great news, Aang." I said with a grin. "You won."

He nodded his head.

"I leave in the morning. So I came to say goodbye for the time being and that I want you to visit Katara frequently to help form the plan."

"I reckon Col. Morgan wants me be a correspondent." I said. He nodded.

"And this is addressed to you." He said, holding out a folded up piece of paper. I took it and felt the rough texture with my thumb. It appeared that there were more than one sheet. "Long Feng had intercepted our letters and he had done the same for you."

"What a sneaky bastard. What I ever do to him?" I insulted. Aang gave a chuckle. I looked at him, seriously. "Thank you, Uncle."

"Come on Tyler, stop with that."

"I call you what you are." I jeered. He only rolled his eyes. "You take care of yourself on your journey and return back."

"No worries, Tyler."

When we gave each other a hug and he departed from the sight. I sat down and opened the first piece of parchment.

_October 17th, 1862_

_My Dearest Tyler,_

_It has been exactly a month since you left home and I've been thinking of you ever since. Your father has found out and is still drinking his sorrows away, which now include you, with whiskey. Tommy refuses to ride as it doesn't feel the same without you by his side. He also says that school is boring and pointless without your smart retorts and remarks. This letter is not to scorn you for your rash actions but I feel as if you must know about what you've left behind. _

_Life has been boring without your presence. We had gotten word that Union troops are beginning to be deployed to the large nation of the Earth Kingdom. I asked many to see if they know the status of your regiment, only one answered that you would be deployed soon. _

This was so long ago. I felt a vein pulse in complete anguish. I may have not known the evil man who decided to get sore with me but badly did I want to strangle him. All this time, I had no idea Rose would write to me. And here it was in my hand, scorning me sweetly.

_I miss you very much, my foolish darling. You may have the thickness of a boar but you are still my sweet Tyler and for that, I write to you with my admirable words. You may have enlisted for adventure but going out there, all alone and in battle, is indeed both stupid and courageous and for that, I admire you. I hope you return home soon. The people of our town are already speaking of hardship and defeat. There are very few who are boasting that the Federals will end up winning the war because of our inevitable alliance with the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. We may have two nations on our side, but can they really supply your army?_

_We keep working though as if there is not a war going. Some women have received condolence letters from local messengers who work with the home guards to deliver news of their fallen sons or husbands. I hope that cleanly handwritten parchment does not touch my hand. I pray that it won't. I pray to God that I will see you walking down that road, not even showing a limp or a bandaged arm. I will keep praying and wishing. I will not lose my faith in your return, Tyler. That much is certain. I told Tommy to do the same and he agrees. We want you back Tyler. I hope for you to write to me, even though I know you still can't spell for Lucifer himself. Write back to me, let us know that our praying is working. _

The following two letters almost said the same exact things. A horrible pain hammered at my pathetic heart as I clutched the last letter to my chest and released a few tears. I had totally forgotten that I was breaking down in front of Fredrick.

"You alright?"

His concern blushed my cheeks and I lowered the letter as I built up a front, pretending that hadn't happened.

"I'm fine." I tried to lie but as smart as he was, he did defy my claim.

"I get like that when I see letters from home." Fredrick commented. "I miss it very much."

"But you are traveling the world you know so much about. You're experiencing it, not just learning from books." I pointed out.

"Though I love watching this different world live, my heart still belongs to America, son." Fredrick informed. "And don't pretend you didn't think the same when you first joined."

_"I didn't say the fighting will be, but I'll see a new world. One we barely even gotten to know. Think of it, I'd be close to some benders Tom!"_

Shame overtook my mind and I folded up the letters that dated from March, April and May.

"Pvt.?" I asked. He looked up at me. "What is the month, and if you know further, the day?"

"June 10th." Fredrick answered.

I looked at the last letter that dated May 3rd and explained a Union defeat in America.

_My faith in your return is starting to fade. In my dreams now, I don't see you except as a ghost, coming to haunt my mind. _

I didn't get any sleep that night, I decided against sleeping in the tent with my comrades. I had escaped to a dark section of our encampment to escape the rest of the lads who were humming and singing songs of home, merrily.

I believed that I was staring at the starry sky alright with a weary frown on my lips and an aching heart. Next to me, hiding in the inside of my hat were my three letters that were the cause of my deepening depression.

"I'm so sorry, Rose." I whispered at one point.

To be continued.

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	17. Correspondent

The Epic of Tyler

ch.17: Correspondent

Col. Morgan ordered me to join Katara for a meeting with the Council of Five, a group of the best Earth Kingdom Generals in whole army. I could now leave and enter the city without any regulations. I carried my rifle strapped to my back in case because of the probable criminal acts seeing that Dai Li weren't really around to extinguish them. It wasn't for certain but you never know, the one good thing that the Dai Li were capable of was reducing the crime rate.

I trekked through the city without much effort. My feet were tiring though and my shoes were wearing thin from all the previous marches. It felt weird not to be stopped by guardsmen but I could care less. It just felt right to have your own rights I guess. I guess it would be safe to say that, without the Dai Li, everyone was free.

I was greeted at the large scale palace that I declared bigger than our White House and any other official building in Washington, by Katara who had gave me a brief hug as it had been a while since we last met up.

"I'm serving as Col. Morgan's correspondent." I told her.

"I know, Aang told me." Katara replied. "It's a bit weird though that he sends you along for this kind of stuff instead of his officers."

"I guess I'm a bit more notorious with these people." I added. She was right though, I still found it a bit strange that Col. Morgan entrusted me with these sorts of missions.

"Well you are related to Aang." She said as we made our way up the Palace steps. We were happily greeted by the Earth King himself who proudly stood over us. He was a lanky man, but a lanky man with power.

I had taken off my hat in respect and gave a bow.

"Greetings Lady Katara." The Earth King declared. "And you must be Pvt. James."

"He knows my name." I whispered to Katara.

"Aang had mentioned you." she whispered back. I stood up straight and placed my hat onto my head.

"Aye sir."

"Indeed, Avatar Aang had told me about you." He said with a nod. "Welcome. Welcome."

We were led away from the Palace. As we walked, the Earth King made conversation with me which I considered an honor and probably something to rub in Pvt. Jeremiah's face when I returned.

"Pvt. James-"

"Please call me, Tyler, your Majesty." I said with a smile.

"Very well, Tyler," The Earth King corrected. "I have heard that your unit is also here, seeking refuge in my Outer Wall."

"Aye sir, if that is alright with you. We were sent here by our Gen. after we heard that my Un-Avatar Aang would be here." I explained.

"I have nothing against it. Any soldier that is against that monstrous Fire Nation is welcomed in my city." He said. "I do have to ask, is it true that the same men from your country is also involved in this war?"

"It is the truth, your Majesty." I confirmed, sadly. "The Re-The Confederates managed to convince the Fire Nation to be allies with them. Frankly, I think it was the Fire Nation who offered the help."

"My history is a bit dreadful but didn't your country fight the Fire Nation for independence."

"Yes sir, that was over 200 years ago." I explained. "Times do change."

"I agree. I was so blind that I only found out about this war three days ago."

I looked at Katara.

"Really?" I asked, more or less to the man.

"My Grand Secretariat, Long Feng, betrayed me. It was all part of his conspiracy to control me and also to control the city. Maybe even the Earth Kingdom."

It explained the situation with Rose's letters.

"That's...insane. I have heard that he has been imprisoned." I interjected. In case you were wondering, we were still walking.

"He is. And he will be tried for his crimes." He assured. "I'm not letting this man go without consequences."

"I agree with you, sir."

We came to the doors leading to the war room, I lack names for these things. The Earth King opened the door and Katara and I were both greeted by the highest of the top ranking generals who gave respect for the both of us by bowing.

"General How, you have already met Katara but this is Avatar Aang's great-nephew, Pvt. Tyler James of the American Army." The Earth King announced. "Tyler James, this is General How, the top general in my Earth Kingdom army."

"It is an honor to meet you, General How." I said in respect.

"It is also an honor to meet you, Pvt. James. A fellow fighter for freedom."

I convinced myself that his words were indeed right. We were both fighting for the freedom of others. My mind briefly imagined the poor, honest slaves that tend to those retched southern fields under the hot sun. I clenched my fist to wash away the sudden surge of anger and looked at the General and gave a firm nod.

The Earth King left the meeting room after bidding a quick farewell so he could carry on with his own kingly chores. I was trying to pay attention to General How's speech throughout the duration of the meeting but it was hard to stand on your feet for that long and his long, triumphant words were still unrecognized in my vocabulary. Some the time, I glanced waywardly at Momo who was perched on Katara's shoulder. Even though he was an animal, the lemur seemed to have the same expression as me, bored. I wondered if Col. Morgan's meetings were like this.

"...General Fong's base will serve as the launching point of the attack." How declared. It was the bending that got my attention. He moved the markers with swift and cunning earthbending across the large map. "In exactly two months, the Army and Navy will invade the Fire Nation on The Day of Black Sun."

I shook my head and quickly scribbled down the information on the back of an envelope that came with one of Rose's letters. I didn't have the time to request for a new sheet of paper. I heard a resounding pounce and clash and found Momo hitting the markers down. Katara found humor in it and so did I, but she was the only one who laughed. I just kept on an amused grin.

"Or we could send in Momo to do some damage." Katara jeered, happily. I was aware that the generals were grimly staring at her. She caught on pretty quick. "Sorry."

How righted the markers and Momo jumped and screeched, retreating to Katara's shoulders. How placed a scroll onto the base of the map table.

"All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan." How reported to us. Again with earthbending, he moved the scroll towards us. Bending was pretty impressive. I wish I had that ability instead of...throwing fire around.

"I'll get these scrolls to him right away. Thank you, General How." Katara said as she snatched up the unstamped scroll. We quickly departed after we gave quick goodbyes.

Katara and I both exited the structure and headed in the direction of the Palace. We stopped for a bit as I asked her questions about what General How had said so I could give Col. Morgan a full report. She scolded me for not paying attention but I defended myself that he was speaking in words I could not comprehend. She explained it to me and I jotted down notes on the base of my upper leg, bending over and writing sloppily.

"...so he will send an entire army and navy into the mouth of the Fire Nation bay." She explained.

"Infantry and navy entering through the bay." I wrote down, aloud. My pencil made a little scratching sound as I finished off the sentence and stuffed everything in my pouch. "Alright, thanks."

"Are you going to go back to your camp?" she asked.

"I should." I said with a small nod. "Morgan likes his information speedy and fast. Won't want to let him down."

"Alright, I guess I'll take this back to the Earth King and get this taken care of. I'll see you around Tyler." Katara said.

"Aye, same."

And we both went our separate ways.

I entered the camp with a wide smile on my face. I was feeling hopeful about this invasion plan set and ready to go because I knew that after Day of Black Sun, we will win the war and I would return home to Rose and Tommy and even my father...knowing that this would be in one month precisely, made my heart flutter.

"I'll be home soon, Rose." I muttered as I crossed the blades of the grass.

I reported to Col. Morgan as soon as I could. Lt. McLyle was there, observing our interaction.

"So there will be Earth Kingdom infantry striking here." I explained as a worn, but updated map of the Fire Nation was rolled on in front of us. I pointed to the little mouth of water leading to the walls of the capitol. Man, to keep these cities fortified, they all have to have walls. "They weren't very detailed about the navy but I assume they'll start the invasion. The plan is still pretty much vague. We won't have more information until closer to the date."

Col. Morgan nodded and looked at his Maj. who wrote down everything for the dispatch that would be sent to Gen. Thayer and pretty much the rest of the Union Army.

"Easily this'll be the victory that will most likely win us the war." Col. Morgan assured. "The war'll be over soon enough."

"I pray that you are right, Col." McLyle added. I hadn't heard McLyle's voice in a long while, he must be bored from not barking out orders and such seeing that we weren't on the move since we first got here.

"It's safe to insure this victory." Morgan said. "Without the Fire Nation being able to supply the Rebels very much, we can easily strike them and take 'em down. After this, Gen. Lee might actually surrender."

McLyle didn't fight or anything on that so Col. Morgan looked at me.

"I thank you much ." Col. Morgan told me. "Not even for this, but your entire loyalty and getting your job done. There must be a reward for your work."

"No sir, you don't have to do."

"I must. Pvt. James, I hereby promote you to Corp. James." He announced. It wasn't a big promotion but it was still a promotion. I blinked in surprise.

"T-thank you sir." I said as Lt. McLyle had some kind of objection to this.

"Sir, he was just following your orders." McLyle responded. Back off, Lt. It wasn't like I was ranked to Sgt. or even worse, Capt. The Col. ignored him and handed me new patches that I didn't have any clue to where he had gained possession of, though I didn't care. I just took the patches and gave a salute to him.

"Thank you sir." I thanked one more.

"You thanked me enough, Corp. Keep doing all that you do and you maybe eligible for another promotion." Col. Morgan assured. I smiled and nodded before departing. I could tell Lt. McLyle would blaming Col. Morgan for 'the poor choice of promoting.'

I spent the afternoon sewing the new patch to my overcoat. I acquired some knowledge from being around Rose so much that it was a bit unusual as my comrades were poking light fun of it. I only shook my head as I bit down on the thread to break it from the needle.

I would call it luck for everything that happened but I guess a better word for it was optimism, or faith.

To be continued.


	18. Go With Them

The Epic of Tyler

ch.18: Go With Them

Nighttime was so peaceful tonight. We claimed a stump for a table as we encircled it to be play a good game of poker from some ratty, tattered cards that survived many skirmishes and battles. The fire was flickering a few feet to my right as we gambled. We embraced the lively entertainment of laughter and singing that accompanied old, out of tune instruments.

I had put in two American dollars. A benefit I received from being a volunteer in the Ohio infantry. Though I volunteered, we were still paid for fighting. I didn't quite understand how American money was able to arrive at our camps in the Outside Nations.

Corp. Hawthorne, who responded to my promotion in celebratory fashion as this was his idea of celebration, was the dealer and he handed over a card to Pvt. Jeremiah who remained impassive about my little bump up.

The wind in the air gently kissed my face as we played. Sometimes I'd like to imagine it as a mother's kiss or even Rose's kiss to me. I had to admit, I was obsessed with that moral woman.

I was about to call deal when I heard a low growl coming from above. It was Appa who landed on the ground with gracefulness. Our confused men gathered around as Sokka jumped off and ordered for Col. Morgan who quickly entered the scene.

There was dull and sadness in his eyes and that made me put down my cards and check out what was happening. I escaped the game with the others following me. I pushed through the crowd of my comrades and quickly spotted Katara holding a battered boy with tattered clothes close to her. I felt utter disbelief as I jogged over there.

Katara looked at me with swollen eyes and teary face. She, too, also had tattered clothes from burns. It was like she came out of a battle. But how did this happen with us still here, merrily singing and laughing. Everything had stopped at that moment. Our lives at a complete halt. I could hear Sokka's declaration.

"The Earth Kingdom is now under Fire Nation control." He said, trying to refrain from being hysterical. I looked at Katara who held a look of same dullness. I then glanced at the Earth King and Toph and...a bear? I shook my head, now was not the time to question the trivial. I looked at Sokka as he spoke to the men. "You need to get out of here before they come and seize the city."

"What about Black Sun?" asked Pvt. Fredrick.

"We will still carry through, Aang is still alive, but if we are going to have your help, you must get out of here."

I sighed and placed my hand on Appa's fur. It was a bit of relief but I was still hurting.

"Maj. Green, get the men ready for retreat." Col. Morgan ordered. Sokka hung his head in great woe. I tried to remain from breaking down, tried to refrain from mourning for my hurt uncle. Col. Morgan approached me. "You must go with them."

I looked at him with disbelieving eyes.

"S-sir?"

"If we want to keep this army, we need you to go with the Avatar." Col. Morgan said.

"I'm going to need my gun, sir." I said as I tried to walk off but Corp. Hawthorne came to me with my necessities as if he knew.

"Good luck, Corp." Hawthorne said as I took the pouch and slung it over my body and then my gun.

"I'll try to write to you Col." I told him.

"Trying is enough. We will be there on the day of the invasion seeing that the date will remain the same."

I nodded.

"Let's get going." Sokka said as he mounted on Appa. I nodded and saluted to my officer and the rest of the regiment.

"Good luck, Corp. James!" shouted a man in the ranks. I could hear McLyle try to hush him but soon everyone else joined in the cheer. I kept my gun strapped to my back and I hung onto Appa's fur, his saddle was probably lost in his capture. I looked back at Col. Morgan with a fleeting look and he only gave me a nod.

"You heard 'em," He told me. "Good luck."

I responded with a nod myself and Sokka shouted at Appa.

"Yip-yip!"

"Good luck, Col." I said with one more salute.

I would be screaming from the thrill of flying if it hadn't been the seriousness of the situation. Though, I was a bit terrified on the inside of both the situation and flying without a saddle. I didn't get another look at the Earth King, I felt that if I looked at him, more sadness and despair would plague my weak heart, but I did look at my uncle who remained in comatose, sinking into Katara's body. I had not seen the wound that got him but I didn't have to.

It felt as if all that optimism escaped my heart.

Sokka explained to me in detail about the fall of Ba Sing Se. There was a coup involved and that took down the Council of Five. The intiator of this coup was Princess Azula from the Fire Nation who I've heard mentioned before. I believe, if I make the connections correct, she is the younger sister to Prince Zuko, an Fire Nation patriot who was scarred and belittled by his own father, Fire Lord Ozai. From previous stories from my Uncle, Zuko had been after Aang for a long time to restore his citizenship in the Fire Nation. And tonight, Zuko was part of the battle that happened to almost kill my uncle.

After the coup, Aang had returned to save Katara who was the only threat to Azula's plan. Katara had been captured and sent into the underground which was described to me as a crystal catacomb that was known as old Ba Sing Se. It was here when a great battle erupted and Aang ended up falling.

Again, I was reminded of the terrible attributes to bending. It was like a bullet, it could easily take a life.

I didn't ask many questions nor did I write any of the information down. I felt sick to my stomach as Sokka explained everything to me. My eyes occasionally glanced at the world behind us, suddenly missing the unusual comforts of my comrades.

It happened right under our noses. While I was promoted, Katara was captured. While I was celebrating, Aang and Katara were fighting against Azula's forces. If only we had gotten word of this we could've stopped this. I should've have left Katara earlier that day but who would've known this would be the outcome.

Though still, I took the blame for some of it. I took off my army coat and handed it to Katara, telling her to wrap Aang in it to keep him warm and fighting disease. She obligated my request and also comforted in the confines of my warm jacket.

I never felt this feeble ever. I mean, I did feel sad about my grandfather's passing but he was old and he had lived his life to the fullest and I was there when he breathed his last but here, seeing my uncle so weak and beaten, I wanted to jump off of Appa and face those evil fire breathers myself.

I touched the necklace which still hung around my neck, silently grieving for Avatar Aang who remains dead to the world.

Through that still night, I recited a prayer to God even if those around me believed another religion. I still prayed.

"My lord, please heal my uncle. Please be with my comrades and please be with the Earth Kingdom. I ask you to forgive my sins and help us all." I prayed. With a shaky breath, I added one more word. "Amen."

My fingers tightly clenched Appa's fur as I tried to prevent the images of home to enter my mind. I couldn't think of this at a time like this, if I did, it would only be nightmarish circumstances.

"Oh my God."

I felt a hand grasp my own. A pale hand that I recognized as Aang's earthbending teacher, Toph, whom I barely knew but was giving me comfort anyway.

A tear still rolled down my cheek.

To Be Continued.


End file.
